A Father's Heart
by FoxPhile
Summary: What if Lindsay’s baby isn’t the first time this has happened to Danny? Danny/Lindsay, married with child. Some suggestive language and steamy thoughts. Chapters 1-7 updated to fix minor errors.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Father's Heart

Author: FoxPhile

Status: Part 1/?? 2/20/2009

Category: Angst, Romance

Pairings: Danny/Lindsay – married with child

Timeline: Season 5. Begins 3 months after the baby is born

Rating: M – Just some suggestive language and steamy thoughts so far

Content Warnings: none

Summary: What if Lindsay's baby isn't the first time this has happened to Danny?

Word Count: 2,720 words

Disclaimer: CSI-NY and its characters are the property of CBS Productions, Alliance/Atlantis Productions and Jerry Bruckheimer. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. Please do not post or archive without the consent of the author. © FoxPhile

Reviews are lovely, aren't they?

Author's Notes: I always come late to the party. I've been a big fan of CSI-Vegas for years. Now, in it's fifth season I've discovered CSI-NY. I'm catching up, and loving every minute of it. Hurray for DVDs!

I love the Danny/Lindsay relationship. It's so refreshing to have a 'ship that's actually CANON!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny Messer turned the key in the lock and gave the door a shove.

"Hey, Montana! I'm home!"

"On the sofa, Danny," came the response, in a voice just above a whisper. There was just the tiniest note of tense reproach in her tone.

Her husband of just six months barely heard her. But he knew that tone. It didn't take a forensic scientist to figure out that the baby was napping. He walked into the apartment as quietly as he could, knowing that he would catch more grief than he needed this evening if he woke his daughter. Carefully hanging his jacket on the rack by the door, he set his keys down in the little dish on the hall table that Lindsay had placed there for that purpose. As his keys mingled with Lindsay's, metal on metal made an unexpected clatter and Danny froze, his thumb and finger still holding the keyfob suspended a few inches above its intended destination. After a moment, he released the breath he'd been holding and gently lowered the keys the rest of the way.

Just half a year ago, he would have tossed his jacket in the general direction of the coat tree, giving himself two points if by some miracle it actually caught on one of the hooks. At least half the time, it missed and he would let it stay on the floor where it landed. The keys would have likewise been pitched, underhanded, in the general direction of the hall table, to land amidst the detritus of unopened mail, bills, notices from the building management, spare change and other general junk from his pockets that had been collecting there for weeks or months.

Now, there were rules to be followed and he followed them.

His life had changed so much since he'd followed Lindsay into the locker room and gotten his first look at their baby on a small, fuzzy ultrasound print. But it was a good change. His family had assured him that the "pretty little country girl" would dump him by now. Well, she was still here and he hadn't seen the family since he'd taken Lindsay out to meet them a few days after the wedding. That night she had promised him that they would make their own family, that she and the baby would be all the family he could ever want or need.

As usual, Montana was right, even if he would never come right out and tell her that!

Carefully avoiding the one floorboard that always creaked, he walked quietly into the living room. She was curled up on one end of the overstuffed sofa, her feet tucked up underneath of her, the baby held protectively to her breast, which was partially bare. It was a sight he saw nearly every day, but one that never ceased to cause his gut to tighten and parts south to stand up and pay attention. For what seemed like the fiftieth time, Danny wondered if it was some sort of perversion to get so turned on watching the mother of his child breast-feeding.

Some player he turned out to be!

As Lindsay's belly had grown, he'd found her blossoming form more and more appealing. Danny blushed as he remembered the night she had gone into labor. He'd come home from the lab and found her curled up and napping on this same sofa, wearing nothing but a tank top and panties, her swollen belly exposed. It was late May, and even with the A/C on, she was constantly complaining of being too warm. Did she have any idea what it did to him to see her like that? In spite of the rising heat he was feeling, Danny had only meant to kiss her soft lips in greeting. But she had woken up and languorously wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss until he'd had no choice but to scoop her up and whisk her away into the bedroom where they'd nearly scorched the walls.

He'd been gentle, of course. But as the doctor later explained, to a very embarrassed and concerned Danny, that sort of activity in late term pregnancy often brought on labor, but did no harm. In fact, doctors sometimes recommended it to women who were past term as a way to speed things along.

Two days later they had brought 8 pound 7 ounce Lucia Angela Messer home. But not until Danny had endured 24 hours of hell as his wife went through an exhausting, and for Danny, frightening labor. Again, the doctor assured him that, while the labor had been hard on her, she had never been in any real danger. She quickly went on to caution Danny that, although restrictions on sex after childbirth were now generally believed to be unnecessary, in Lindsay's case it might be a good idea to wait the six weeks and give her time to regain her strength. Halfway through the ordeal his wife had announced to most of the hospital that it would be more like sixty years before Danny Messer or any man got within a hundred yards of her. By the time it was all over, Danny was in wholehearted agreement.

The morning after they brought the baby home, he had woken to find himself alone in their bed. Wandering out to the living room, he found his wife and daughter on the sofa. Lucy was eagerly having her breakfast, her tiny fists clenching and unclenching against Lindsay's heavy breast as she avidly suckled. All memory of the labor fled his mind and it had taken every bit of self-control in his soul to keep from jumping his wife. Echoing the doctor's orders like a mantra in his head, he had mumbled "Good Morning" and grabbed the newspaper, holding it strategically to hide the embarrassing tent in his pajama bottoms. Giving Lindsay a quick kiss on the top of her head, and reminding her that he found her the most beautiful woman in the world, over the age of 3 days anyway, he quickly escaped to the relief of a long and very cold shower.

That was the first of many times that he found himself beating his fist on the shower walls and berating himself for the pervert he surely must be.

It was the longest six weeks of his life.

Fortunately, he had lived through it and Mr. and Mrs. Messer's love life had resumed in more or less normal fashion. He hadn't confessed his perversion to Lindsay, but he suspected she knew. She had a way of smiling at him when she was nearly done feeding the baby. A knowing smile that hinted at what he could expect once the baby was safely back in her crib, sleeping off her meal.

Over the last three months Danny had ample opportunity to work on his self-control. Lindsay fed Lucy about 8 or 9 times a day, about half of which happened while Danny was on shift. When he was home, she wasn't always in a mood to indulge his fantasy, and he knew he had to be sensitive to that. He was perversely proud that he could usually get himself under control within a minute or two if Lindsay's smile was the contented, happy mother smile. An annoyed, "You did this to me" smirk meant the baby had been fussy and he risked life and limb if he got within six feet of her. Most disappointing was the exhausted complete lack of smile that signaled a day spent endlessly walking and rocking, wondering how one baby could scream and cry for so long.

As he sat down on the sofa next to her, Danny was glad to see the mischievous little smile that told him she knew exactly what her little display did to him and had, in fact, arranged to be in just this position when he got home from work. Leaning over to capture his lips, she gave him a kiss full of promises.

"I'm just going to put her down. I'll be right back," Lindsay whispered as she rose from the sofa.

Danny gently stroked the baby's cheek and whispered, "I love you, beautiful", dropping a kiss on the baby's head as she passed by.

The ringing of the doorbell was followed almost instantly by a loud and very perturbed wail. Lindsay followed that almost as quickly with a muttered, "Damn that Flack! I thought you told him not to ring the bell!"

Danny sprinted to get the door. "I did tell him! I told him to knock once, *QUIETLY* and use his key."

"Well tell him again. And this time tell him *I* said so! I'm going to see if I can calm her down and get her to sleep again. I'll be back out when I'm decent." Lindsay disappeared into the small nursery, which had formerly housed Danny's pool table.

Danny opened the door, ready to read Detective Don Flack the riot act, fueled by his frustration and the continued screaming of his infant daughter. But the person on the other side wasn't his friend and colleague. Two people were waiting outside his door. Danny recognized the look, and the stance. Although he didn't know them personally, he knew they were cops, no mistake.

"Yeah?" he greeted them. As his anger faded, his suspicions rose. And with it, worry began to needle his mind. He was one of them. He knew that police at the door never meant good news.

"Are you Daniel Messer?" asked the woman. She was medium height and attractively, if conservatively dressed. Danny guessed that she was in her mid thirties. She was carrying an enormous black satchel that was apparently stuffed with papers. It must have weighed a ton, but she seemed accustomed to the weight. The man with her was tall and lanky and about ten years younger.

"I'm Danny Messer," he said. Crossing his arms, he stood with his feet planted firmly, swaying back and forth, guarding his turf. "What's the problem?"

The woman flashed an id quickly and announced, "I'm Nancy Wells, this is detective Mark Jackson. Do you know a Melinda Ponzio?"

Danny stared at the floor a moment. When he raised his head again, his eyes were wary. This visit was quickly going downhill. "Yea. I used to know a girl by that name. Why?"

"I'm sorry to tell you, Mr. Messer, that she's dead."

Danny's eyebrows rose as he took in this news. He did remember Melinda from his old neighborhood. But that was another life. He hadn't seen or heard from her in a long time. "I'm sorry to hear that, too. But I don't understand why you're telling me?"

"Mr. Messer, maybe we should discuss this inside," suggested the young man who had until now been mute.

Danny looked the two over another minute. "You got a badge, detective?"

The young man suddenly looked flustered and fumbled in his coat pocket. He retrieved a small case, flipped it open and displayed the badge and id inside. Danny scrutinized both carefully before stepping aside to allow the couple entrance.

"When you come to someone's door, detective, always announce yourself and show your badge *first*, before you start askin' questions. It's proper procedure."

"Huh?" Detective Jackson stopped in the middle of the entrance hall and turned, his confusion clearly stamped on his face.

Danny lifted the edge of his shirt to display his own badge. "I got a few years on ya, kid. Seems like you could use a few pointers."

"Oh…um…I'm sorry…um…Detective Messer…Sir?"

Only the knowledge that someone he had known had died, kept Danny from laughing outright. This kid was green! He made Danny feel like an old man. He could feel himself channeling Mac Taylor. "S'ok kid. But don't call me sir."

"Mr. Messer," Nancy Wells had found her way to the living room and was standing by the sofa. "If we could continue?"

Danny turned, leaving the flustered young detective to follow behind. "Sure. Have a seat. What's this all about?" He took his own seat in the armchair across from the woman, who seated herself on the sofa. The young detective sat and busied himself returning his id case to his coat pocket.

"Mr. Messer, Melinda Ponzio was found dead yesterday in her home in Brooklyn Heights. So far, her death appears accidental, although the investigation is still ongoing. We're interviewing anyone who may have known her, or seen her recently. Can you tell us the last time you saw Ms. Ponzio?"

Danny sat with his feet planted about a foot apart and leaned forward, steepling his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't know where you got your information, but I haven't seen or spoken to Melinda in years. She lived down the street from me when I was growing up on the Island. She used to come over and play at my house when we were just kids, and we dated once or twice in high school. Since then, I think I ran into her one time about… about two years ago, when I was home visitin'. Haven't seen or heard from her since then."

Nancy Wells took a small notebook and pen from her satchel and began jotting down notes. "You say it's been two years since you last saw Ms. Ponzio. Are you quite sure of that, Mr. Messer?"

"That's what I told you." Danny was beginning to get annoyed.

"And how well did you know Ms. Ponzio before that?"

Just then Lindsay came back into the room. She had changed into a modest t-shirt and jeans, and brushed her hair back into a ponytail. Noticing the unfamiliar guests, she asked, "What's going on, Danny?"

"I ain't sure, Linds. These two fine people have come here to let me know that a girl I knew growin' up, that I've hardly seen since high school, was found dead. And I'm real sorry to hear that, but they haven't given me any reason why two of New York's finest were sent over here to tell me."

Lindsay smiled and moved to sit in the other chair. She recognized Danny at near boiling point. His quick temper had gotten him into trouble more than once, but she'd become adept at diffusing him. "Danny, I'm sure they're just following up on anyone the poor girl might have known. You of all people know how that is."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Messer, you misunderstand," Nancy Wells brought out her id again and handed it to Danny. "I'm not with the NYPD. I'm with Child and Family Services."

"Excuse me?" Danny stared at the woman. "Child and Family Services? What the heck is going on?"

Danny was suddenly gripped by fear. Why would Child and Family Services be here? They couldn't be thinking of taking Lucy away. Could this be because of Ruben? Maybe they figured if he'd been involved in the death of one kid, he couldn't be trusted with his own? And what did Melinda Ponzio have to do with any of it? No way was he going to let this pompous witch and a snot-nosed kid of a detective take his daughter. Danny glanced to where his gun was sitting in its holster, high on a shelf in the entrance hall. He'd kill them both first, if that's what it came to. He'd kill them and he and Lindsay would leave. They both knew all about forensics. If it came to it, they could remove any evidence and get away and take Lucy with them.

"Mr. Messer, were you aware that Ms. Ponzio had a young child, a son?"

"No. Like I told you, I haven't really talked to her. Not since high school." Danny was beginning to breathe again. So that's what this was about. Poor, dead Melinda had a kid and CFS just needed to find her parents, someone who could become the kid's legal guardian. "If you're trying to find her parents, I can probably remember the address, if you give me a minute."

"No, thank you, Mr. Messer. That's quite all right. We've already contacted Ms. Ponzio's parents." Nancy Wells pulled a file folder from the satchel. She opened the folder and began flipping through the papers inside. "Mr. Messer, Ms. Ponzio's son is almost three years old. And according to his birth certificate….. Ah, here it is….. You're the boy's father."

…to be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1

Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 2 completed 02/21/2009

Chapter Rating: T

Word Count:

Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for the reviews. I'm so touched and gratified. This is my first posting on and my first CSI-NY story. Hope you enjoy!

And sorry it took so long update! I've been reveling in spoilers and reading a whole lot more than I've been writing. It's an obsession…truly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny was holding the id that the lady from Child and Family Services handed to him. His fingers fidgeted nervously with the small leather case. He was obviously still annoyed that his evening had been interrupted by the CFS officer and the pip-squeak detective wannabe that had come with her.

"….You're the boy's father."

The id fell on the floor as Danny's head snapped up to stare incredulously at the two people sitting opposite him. Lindsay, sitting in a chair beside him, also turned to stare at the woman who had made this startling announcement. Truthfully, she couldn't say she was all that surprised. It was no secret that Danny Messer had messed around – a LOT – before he met Lindsay Monroe from Montana. She assumed he'd been careful, but then, they had been careful, too. In spite of that, there was a sleeping child in the next room that proved all the precautions in the world sometimes failed.

The CFS officer, Lindsay didn't know her name; passed a sheet of paper over to Danny, who was still sitting dumbstruck, his lower jaw threatening to graze the carpet. Lindsay reached over and took the document, leaning over as she read it, in case Danny wanted to see it, too.

"It says here Joshua Daniel Messer, born December 24th 2006 at Manhattan General. A Christmas Eve baby. Poor thing, he'll never have any really good birthdays." Lindsay read the document in a matter-of-fact tone. She wasn't sure why Danny was still sitting speechless. He'd been surprised when she had told him of her own pregnancy. But this reaction was much more extreme. He was in shock. Maybe it was because this was a three-year-old, flesh-and-blood, ready-made child, instead of the less tangible, off-in-the-future possibility of a child that her pregnancy had been. "Mother, Melinda Louise Ponzio, Father, Daniel Giovanni Messer. Well, that's pretty clear."

Lindsay looked up from the birth certificate. Danny had covered his face with his hands and was shaking his head back and forth.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." He looked up. His eyes were wide, haunted. His left hand shot out and he gripped Lindsay's right hand with it, squeezing until she thought the bones would break.

"NO! That ain't…that ain't right. That's not my kid!" He turned to look at Lindsay, his eyes pleading, begging her to believe. "He's not my kid, Linds. I swear, he's not my kid!"

Lindsay wasn't sure why Danny was so upset. The boy was three years old. He would have been conceived long before she and Danny got involved. She wasn't the type of woman who gets jealous about things that happened in the time before they got together. Surely he knew that? She'd been upset about the whole Rikki thing, but that was different. That had happened at a time when she believed they were involved. Danny hadn't come out and said it yet, but she believed at the time that they were exclusive. Although she knew of his reputation, she didn't yet clearly understand what a foreign concept commitment was to Danny Messer. In her mind, his trip to Bozeman, and the time they spent together afterwards had made it pretty clear what his feelings and intentions were, even if he didn't realize them himself yet. And truthfully, it hadn't been his actual sleeping with Rikki that had bothered Lindsay so much. It was that he needed someone and had shut her out and turned to someone else instead. If he'd shared his pain with Lindsay, she felt sure his night with Rikki would never have happened.

Maybe it was the inconvenience that was bugging him? Dealing with another child in their lives, so soon after Lucy's birth and so early in their marriage wouldn't be easy. But Lindsay couldn't believe her husband would reject a child just because it would disrupt their lives. He just wouldn't be that petty. There had to be something else that was bothering him about this.

"Mr. Messer…Mrs?…Messer," the CSF lady interjected, "I'm sorry. Obviously this has become awkward. And I understand that this may cause some disruption in your lives. But I have a duty to see to the welfare of this child, and I must ask that you consider, too, what is best for your son. At the moment, he's a ward of the state. In our attempts to locate you, Mr. Messer, we spoke to Ms. Ponzio's parents and frankly, while the subject was not addressed, both grandparents are in their seventies, and are not in the best of health. They are in no way suitable to become guardians of a small child."

Bending over to retrieve her id case, she continued, "It's apparent that you need some time to discuss the situation privately, and decide how you want to deal with this. I fully understand and I want to assist you as much as I can. But I must make this clear. If you are unwilling or unable to take responsibilty for this child, there are no other family members that we can turn to. We'll have to ask you to relinquish your parental rights and the boy will be raised in foster care. As a police officer yourself, I'm sure you understand that, as necessary as it sometimes is, foster care is not an ideal situation for any child." Removing two cards from her id case, she handed one to Lindsay and extended the other to Danny. When he did not move to take it from her, she laid it on the coffee table in front of him.

Lindsay glanced at the card. It read

Nancy Wells, M.S.W.

Child and Family Services

City of New York

Child Placement Specialist

Ms. Wells stood, hefting her satchel onto her shoulder and signaling to the detective that he should stand, too. They moved toward the front door.

Lindsay stood awkwardly. Danny was still gripping her hand and his gaze followed her as she rose. She extended her left hand, still holding Joshua's birth certificate, to the Social Worker.

"Did you need this back?"

"No, Mrs. Messer," responded Ms. Wells, "It is Mrs. Messer?"

"Yes," stammered Lindsay, "It's Lindsay… Lindsay Messer. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Wells." Lindsay tried again to release her right hand from Danny's grip, but he was like a vise.

"No, that's a copy. Your husband may need if… if he chooses to pursue his denial of paternity. Again, I apologize if this is awkward for you." It was obvious that the Social Worker believed that Danny's denial was rooted in either a desire to avoid the responsibility of another child or because he'd been unfaithful to his wife and was trying desperately to deny it. Lindsay knew she couldn't be more wrong, on both counts, but couldn't fathom what was driving him. She put the birth certificate on the table, next to Ms. Wells' business card.

Ms. Wells turned back to Danny, trying to get his attention, which continued to be riveted on his wife.

"Mr. Messer. I'll leave you to discuss this with your wife. I sincerely hope that you both will find a way to come to terms with this, so that this child can have a proper family. He's lost his mother. He deserves a father. Before you make any final decision on the matter, I think you should meet him. I'll call tomorrow afternoon to arrange a visitation."

Lindsay, her desire to be a gracious hostess taking over, tried one last time to escape from Danny's hold so that she could see her guests to the front door. She was embarrassed and confused by his reaction, and wanted to leave the Social Worker with a better impression of her little family. Danny slowly and reluctantly released her, his hand falling listlessly to his side. Seemingly oblivious to all else, he picked up the birth certificate. Squinting to focus, he stared at the instrument of his devastation.

Freed, Lindsay walked with the other two to the door. In the entrance hall, she paused.

"I apologize for Danny, Ms. Wells." She spoke in a low voice, not wanting her husband to overhear her making excuses for him. "I'm not sure why he's reacting like this. We've only been married a few months and we just had a baby of our own. A lot has been thrown at him in a short space of time and I guess he's just a little overwhelmed by it all. Marriage and fatherhood, it's a lot for some guys to deal with, you know?" Lindsay suddenly realized how the social worker might view her last statement, and quickly corrected herself. "But he's a terrific father, he really is. Lucy is the joy of his life. He'd do anything for her. And he's great at pitching in and helping to take care of her. I haven't gone back to work yet, but he still insists on sharing the midnight feedings and diaper changes when he's home. And most nights he rocks her until she falls asleep and he puts her down for the night." Lindsay realized she was blathering and decided it was time to shut up.

The other woman smiled. The jury was still out in her book on Danny Messer, but she liked his pretty, diminutive wife. Few women in her experience were so gracious when suddenly confronted by the truth of a husband's or boyfriend's past with other women. And even if, as seemed to be the case here, the tryst predated their own involvement with the man, many women became inordinately jealous when the evidence came in the form of a child produced by the prior union. Lindsay Messer had shown no signs of that sort of reaction, and had done her best to ease the tension caused by her husband's denial. Of course, it was always possible that Lindsay Messer was simply putting up a good front and that Mr. Messer's panic would be justified by a scorching rebuke as soon as they were alone again. Nancy Wells hoped it wasn't so. If Lindsay Messer was true to her appearances, the social worker had a very good feeling that the little boy who had captured her normally immune heart would find a very good home with this couple.

"I'm sure he is, Mrs. Messer. Hopefully, when he's had some time to adjust, he'll come around." Her mind brought up a picture of the little boy from her memory, having met him at the shelter home that morning. Turning back to glance again at Danny, she noticed he had donned a pair of glasses, and was still scrutinizing the birth certificate. She smiled again and turned back to the woman who was waiting to see her out. She felt confident that the little boy would fit in just fine, once his father saw fit to accept his responsibility in the matter. "I really do think your husband, and you, of course, should meet the boy. It will help to clarify things. I'll call you tomorrow to arrange it."

Lindsay smiled and opened the door. The woman had seemed a bit cold at first, but she suddenly warmed and Lindsay was beginning to like her. They were nearly the same age, although the other woman's authoritative manner made her seem much older. It was probably an occupational hazard. Lindsay wasn't sure what to make of the silent young man who was with her. She had missed the introductions, and although Ms. Wells had corrected that with her card, the young man had remained mute. Probably just learning. He was young enough. And obviously nervous.

"I look forward to your call, Ms. Wells." Lindsay was feeling more relaxed now. "I'll see what I can find out from…" she gestured in the general direction of the living room. "He'll come around. He just has a tendency of being a bit… emotional."

The two women shook hands and the social worker left, taking her anonymous young assistant with her. Lindsay sighed as she closed the door, leaning against it for a moment to gather her thoughts before having this out with Danny. They'd been living in a bubble of joy and bliss ever since the wedding, and it appeared that the bubble was about to burst. She'd known it would happen, of course. They were both strong-willed, emotional people and she supposed she should be glad that it had lasted this long. Six whole months without an argument with Danny Messer! That had to be a record.

Truthfully, she had known it wouldn't last much longer. She'd gone to her doctor that morning and he'd cleared her to return work. Light duty at first, of course, and no field work. But she'd planned to discuss it with Danny tomorrow. She knew he wanted her to take the full six months the city allowed, but she was anxious to get back to work. She loved Lucy and she loved caring for her. But she hadn't trained all those years as a CSI to spend the rest of her life changing diapers and wiping noses. She had every intention of being a hands-on, full time mother, but she believed she could work a reasonable schedule, too.

Danny had surprised her a bit with some of his old-fashioned attitudes about marriage and wives and parenting. She thought he was a modern man who understood a woman's right to be something more than a wife and mother. He hadn't come right out and said it, but she got the feeling that part of him would prefer for Lindsay to become a permanent, stay-at-home mom.

They had discussed their options with Mac right after the wedding. NYPD didn't have any hard-and-fast rules about married couples, although in common practice, husbands and wives didn't work on the same team. Mac was reluctant to lose either of them, but realized that the work could be compromised if he allowed them to continue as partners. So he assigned them to work different shifts.

It wasn't easy. During the final months of her pregnancy, Lindsay worked days while Danny worked nights. They had a few hours together in the evenings before Danny had to go to work. He would call her from the field or from the lab at 6 am every morning. He was her wake up call, and it let her know that nothing had happened to him while she slept. Lindsay would rush to get ready and get to the lab a little early. Unless he was finishing up a big case, Danny would sneak out of the lab a few minutes early so that they could spend a few minutes together in a quiet corner of the locker room. They had discovered a small alcove in the back of the locker room, screened from the rest of the room by a small row of lockers. It had a short bench where they could sit, arms entwined, usually with Danny's hand on her belly, checking the baby's progress.

The rest of the team conspired to give the couple their few moments of relative privacy. Hawkes or Adam would cover Danny's early escapes and after the first two or three times, Mac stopped asking where Danny was. Flack practically stood guard in the locker room. Even though the alcove was tucked away, and not too many people went back there anyway, Lindsay had heard the detective once telling a rookie that the area was off limits. Later, Danny told her that Flack had teased him about "M&M Alley".

Mac had tried to ease the hardship of split shifts by ensuring that the couple usually had two days off together each week. It wasn't always possible, of course, but both Danny and Lindsay appreciated all the older man did to give them the time they needed. And they did their best to repay him. When big cases led to an "All hands on deck" call, they made sure to keep their conduct professional as they worked together. And in those last few months, no one had found anything about their work that could be criticized.

After the baby was born, Danny switched to days. The plan was that, when she was ready to return to work, Lindsay would work the night shift so that she could spend time with the baby during the day. Danny would be at home with the baby at night, and they would continue to have their evenings together. It was a plan that Lindsay believed would work well, but as time went on, Danny began to drop hints that maybe she should wait a bit longer to go back to work. He'd recently gotten a promotion and pay raise and insisted they could manage on his salary alone. Lindsay would just laugh and remind him that this was the 21st century, and she was not about to stay pregnant and barefoot.

Although it sounded like chauvanism, Lindsay knew there was something deeper behind Danny's desire to keep her home. He was afraid. Between them, they'd been through their share of injuries and close calls on the job. Danny knew just how dangerous the job could be, and he knew that, once she got back to it, nothing would keep Lindsay Monroe Messer from going back out into the field.

But if she had to deal with wondering if the phone would ring someday, with Mac's voice telling her Danny had been injured or shot or worse, then he would just have to find a way to deal with the same thing. She couldn't change who she was anymore than he could.

Still, she knew that battle was looming in their future, too. She hoped this business with his newfound son wouldn't make it that much more difficult.

Lindsay pushed herself away from the door and headed back into the living room. Danny had moved over to the sofa. He was still wearing his glasses, but had set Joshua's birth certificate aside. He smiled up at her as she walked into the room. It was a sheepish smile. Lindsay expected there was an apology coming. She hoped she could convince him he had nothing to apologize for.

"Linds," Danny patted the seat next to him, indicating that she should sit with him. "I'm…sorry. I know this must have all thrown you for a loop. It's crazy, Linds. It makes no sense." Lindsay sat down and Danny encircled her in his arms, pulling her back against him. "Don't worry, though. We'll get it all figured out."

Lindsay cautiously hoped that Danny had accepted the facts. And that he had gained a measure of confidence in their relationship, and in her. It would make it all so much easier if he realized that Lindsay was not upset with him over a child he'd fathered long before they really knew each other. She began to do the math in her head and realized the child must have been conceived around March of 2006. That was just five months after she had arrived in New York. Of course, they flirted with each other and danced around each other from the very beginning. They had even gone on one pseudo-date when she had discovered that Mac played jazz occassionally at a local club. Another time she'd bribed him into helping her with a case by promising to take him out for drinks, which had turned into dinner. As she thought back to that evening, she realized that it must have been shortly after that when Danny got Melinda Ponzio pregnant.

Then it seemed they had one nasty case after another. Things began to hit close to home and there was simply no time or energy to devote to a budding relationship. In Lindsay's heart, life for Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe began the moment she saw him walk through the doors of the courtroom in Bozeman, Montana. Anything that went on before that simply wasn't important.

Danny was tracing small circles on her forearm as they sat together, comfortably quiet. "Linds, I want you to know. My heart goes out to that kid, and I'm really sorry he lost his mom and all. But, hand to God, Linds, he's not mine. I want you to know that."

And Lindsay's perfect little bubble shattered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	3. Chapter 3

Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1

Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 3 completed 03/22/2009

Chapter Rating: T - there's a bit of foul language

Word Count: 2,837

Author's Notes: Thanks again for the kind reviews! And for those wondering if Danny is in Denial…well…you wouldn't really want me to give away the ending, would you? {evil laugh} Suffice it to say, he's not lying… but he doesn't have all the facts and he's not considering all possibilities… yet.

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Lindsay Monroe… wait, Danny corrected himself… Lindsay Messer… had an amazing temper. Fiery, hot and quick, it would spark in a split second and scorch anything and everything in its path. She would give his own fiesty Italian mother a run for her money in that department. He'd been prepared for it. He wasn't surprised that this whole business of getting a kid that was supposedly his dumped on them would piss her off.

He wasn't surprised by it, but it scared the shit out of him.

Danny Messer knew he was still on probation with his wife, the mother of his child. He'd messed up in the worst way and he knew he was the luckiest mook on the face of the planet that she had been willing to give him a second chance. He also knew that one more slip up could mean the end of that chance. And if he truly messed things up again, then he figured he deserved to live the rest of his life without the two loves of his life. If that happened, he'd take the punishment he deserved, slink off into a corner somewhere and never darken her life again.

But he was scared to death that he was about to lose everything over this. And it was so unfair. So hideously, ridiculously, but typically Danny-Messer's-Life-Is-Fucked-Up UNFAIR!!

"Daniel Messer," his wife was in full tirade, "what in the HELL is with you?" She was pacing a short path in front of the sofa, stopping at each end, her arms folded across her chest, her eyes stabbing him with the daggers of her anger.

As he sat on the receiving end of a full-blown Lindsay blow-up, the likes of which he hadn't seen since shortly after she'd told him she was pregnant, Danny suddenly had a bizarre vision of his lifeless body on Sid's autopsy table. Mac was leaning over him, asking for Sid's determination of cause of death.

"You see these thousands of small stab marks, scattered across the torso, concentrated in the region directly above his heart?" Sid pointed with a gloved finger as Mac nodded solemnly.

"_Those look like the marks of eyeball daggers," Mac intoned knowingly, "small, but extremely deadly in the hands of a skilled marksman."_

"_Exactly," agreed Sid, "poor guy never had a chance. He bled out from multiple perforations of the cardiac sac. Stabbed right in the heart. Probably hurt like hell, too."_

As he imagined the two men pulling the sheet over his sightless eyes, Danny snapped back to the real world. He needed to focus on what Lindsay was saying. And keep the completely inappropriate smirk off his face. He couldn't afford to allow his twisted sense of humor to dig him into a deeper hole.

"Danny, this makes me wonder if you can truly be the man I thought you were. The man I want to be the father of my children." Lindsay, seemingly out of steam, was about to sit down when a high-pitched wail set up from the nursery. "Oh God!" Her face fell as she collapsed into the chair.

Danny immediately stood and bolted into the back room. He glanced back at his wife. At least she wasn't crying. She looked… defeated. Danny hoped she wasn't giving up already. As long as she was angry, he knew he still had a chance. If she gave up, he was done for. He needed her fighting for their marriage as much as he would be.

The baby screamed again and Danny found the energy to jog the rest of the way into her room, to her tiny little crib. In spite of everything, he couldn't help but smile at his daughter, even if she looked more like an overripe tomato than a small human being right now. He scooped her up in his arms and began to bounce her gently up and down, cooing soothing nonsense noises in an effort to calm her down. Realizing that the angry voices from the other room might have frightened her, he decided to try another tactic, holding her close to his chest, hoping to restore her sense of security in her little world. To his relief, it seemed to work as she immediately quieted, her tiny fist grabbing at the chest hairs that peeked through the opening in his shirt. At least one member of his family still wanted him!

Danny continued to hold his little girl tightly, cooing and cuddling her, swaying gently back and forth, wishing he could give Lindsay the same sense of security this easily. He was about to lay Lucy back down when he felt soft fingers stealing around his arm to cup the baby's head. Lindsay's other hand snaked across his stomach as she lay her head against his strong back.

"You're amazing with her. Do you know that?"

Danny leaned his head back, closing his eyes and savoring the contact, hoping it promised that they could work their way through this. That didn't sound like a woman about to give up. Thankfully, if Lindsay's temper was quick to catch, it was often just as quick to fade. Once she got the rage out of her system, he could talk to her, make her understand that, for once, he really hadn't done anything wrong.

Gently, he lay Lucy back down in her crib, rubbing her little tummy so that she would know he was still with her, still keeping her safe. She kicked her feet a bit, and rubbed a fist against her cheek, a sure sign that she was about to settle back down to sleep. Seconds later, she was still and quiet, her little chest rising and falling rhythmically as she slept.

He turned to face Lindsay, and was relieved to see that, while the daggers had left her eyes, the spark of determination was still there. It amazed him sometimes how well he had grown to know this woman, even if at times he felt he knew her not at all. He could tell from her expression that she still wanted to work this out, and now that she had finished ripping into him, he would get the chance to tell her his side of this mess. Taking a chance, he put an arm around her shoulder and steered her back towards the living room.

"Hey," he whispered, "how about I make us some tea? Then we can talk about this."

During Lindsay's pregnancy, and now that she was breast-feeding, she abstained from caffeine and alcohol. She told Danny a few weeks after the baby was born that she had developed a taste for some of the herbal teas, especially the Almond Pleasure that had been part of a baby shower gift basket from Mac and Stella. After unwrapping dozens of rattles and onesies and booties and baby toys, Lindsay had been inordinately touched by the thoughtfulness of her bosses' gift. The basket held a comfy pair of slippers and a warm, cozy nightrobe, as well as creams and oils to soothe her overstretched and dry skin, and a selection of calming herbal teas. Many evenings, he would find her at some point snuggled on the sofa, wrapped in her robe and sipping a steaming mug of tea. She had coaxed him into trying it once, and, while he didn't think it'd ever replace a cold brew after a long day, he had to admit it tasted okay and was relaxing.

At the moment, he was not above using any weapon in his arsenal.

Lindsay nodded, and turned to go into the living room while Danny moved into the kitchen to get the tea. The tea would serve two purposes. In addition to its natural calming effect, the preparation of the tea would give them both time to calm down, and gather their thoughts. He was determined that this would be a discussion, and not an argument.

The microwave dinged just as he finished assembling mugs and tea bags on a small tray. He poured the steaming water into the mugs and jiggled each teabag in the water a few seconds, before carrying the tray into the other room.

Sitting down beside his wife, he cradled his mug in his hands and blew across it. "Lindsay, I know I had quite a reputation before, and I can understand why you would be willing to believe that this boy is mine. But I need for you to trust me on this. He's not my son, and there's no way that he can be."

They were sitting side by side on the sofa, but there was a distance between them of about a foot and a half. Lindsay turned so that she was half-facing him, mirroring his own posture. "Danny, I know you had a reputation. And I know… well, I know that a lot of it was true. Which is why I don't understand how you can be so dead sure about this? Danny, this happened long before we were together. I'm not going to be upset that you had a one night stand with an old friend back when I was still just the new rookie in the lab. Frankly, I'm not at all surprised that your… activities… produced a child that you didn't know about. You've told me yourself you weren't much for second dates. And I'm sure you were careful, but… so were we. Isn't it possible that you ran into this Melinda at a bar one night and just didn't recognize her?"

Danny sighed. Never in his life had he so wished that he had given up his rakehell lifestyle a few months sooner. Meeting one Lindsay Monroe had changed him forever, even if he took over three years to really figure it out. But he'd been determined to keep up his reputation, and make sure the cute little girl from Bozeman knew exactly what he was about.

He shook his head, "It didn't happen, Linds. I admit, I've met a lot of women in my time, and gone home with more than a few. Most of those women I never saw again. And you're right, any one of those times might have resulted in a… a kid. But not this one. This kid isn't mine."

Lindsay was becoming exasperated. What was bothering him so much? She knew he was insecure where she was concerned. And she had to admit, he had some reason to be. In an angry moment she had told him that if anything, ANYTHING remotely like the Rikki incident happened again she'd leave him and never turn back. She'd even quoted Flack's favorite old Irish saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

How could she convince him that this didn't count? That it was past history, and she wouldn't be upset. Nothing that happened before they were together could be considered infidelity. Why was he still denying his own son?

"Montana… "

Lindsay turned her attention from the warm mug in her hands back to her husband's eyes. Either he was completely sincere, or he was the best actor this side of Broadway.

"Danny… I just… I can't believe you would deny your own son! And if you deny him, how can I trust that you'll stick around for our children?"

Danny's face fell. If she didn't trust him to be there for her, that was one thing. His past gave her all the reason she could ever need. But how could she question his devotion to Lucy, or to any future kids they might have?

"Montana, I will ALWAYS be there for our children. And if Joshua WAS my son, I'd be there for him. And I… I think… I hope… you would be, too. But I've done the math, and he CAN… NOT… BE… MINE."

Lindsay's eyes widened. "Done the math? What do you mean?"

Danny set his tea down, and took the mug from Lindsay's hands so he could hold them. Stroking his thumb over her wide wedding band, he prepared to make a confession.

"The birth certificate says Joshua was born December, 2006. So he was conceived sometime around March or April." Danny lifted his eyes from the contemplation of their joined hands and looked into his wife's face, a faint grin spread across his face. "This is going to completely blow my rep, but, other than…" Danny jerked his head in the general direction of the hallway and grew serious again, "… that one time, I haven't been with any woman other than you, Montana… not like that anyway… since before that night you invited me to come hear Mac play. That was February first, eleven months before Melinda's kid was born." I picked up a blonde in a bar a few days before that, but that… that was the last time. Ever.

This was not something Lindsay was prepared to hear. She knew Danny would never outright lie to her, but how could this be true? He wasn't a monk, of that she was very sure. But if what he was saying was true… she thought back a minute, calculating the months between that first "date" and a certain wild night of pool and tequila… he'd been celibate for over a year. Why?

"Why?"

Danny shook his head again, a small snort of laughter erupted from him. "Montana, you don't get it, do you? I guess I can't blame you, 'cause I sure didn't either, and I was livin' it. I was messed up back then. I went with lots of women, sure, just like usual. But after that night, when it came time to talk them into taking me home with 'em, you know, for a little somethin', somethin'… I just… didn't. I made up some excuse and went home alone. First time in my life I was takin' cold showers on a regular basis, and…well… handling things on my own."

Lindsay hadn't said a word, or even moved. She was staring at him, her mouth slightly agape.

"It hit me on the Hollys case. You scared me that day, Montana. I think you know that. But I think I scared myself more. I realized I hadn't been with anyone else because I wanted to be with you. On one hand, it was kinda relief, " Danny grinned broadly, "I'd actually begun to wonder if I was maybe gay or somethin'. Not that there's anything wrong with bein' gay, but can you really see me datin' Flack?"

That snapped Lindsay out of her stupor. Suddenly, she was laughing uncontrollably. She doubled over and held her stomach, the mirth spilling out of her. Some of it, he knew, was nerves. But he hoped it also meant that she finally believed him. If this was still hanging between them she couldn't be laughing like this, could she?

"So," she sputtered, "you were holding out…" she hiccuped, "for me?"

"Yea, Montana, I guess I was. I turned from a player into a sap, too head over heels in love to be with any other woman, and I didn't even know it myself."

Lindsay was still giggling uncontrollably, her laughter punctuated by hiccups as she tried to catch her breath.

"And if you ever, *EVER* breathe a word of this…"

Danny rubbed and patted her back, trying to relieve the hiccups. Her laughter was subsiding, but tears streamed down her cheeks. He was glad they were tears of laughter, even if it was at his expense.

"Oh Danny, don't worry! No one else would ever believe you went over a year without a little "somethin' somethin'"… "

She grabbed her mug and sipped her tea, the warm liquid helped to dispell the hiccups and restore her breathing. The laughter left her eyes and she became serious once again.

"Danny, why would she put your name as the father, if there's no chance you are?"

Danny put his arm around his wife's shoulder, drawing her into his embrace.

"I don't know, Montana. I don't know."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Notes

1.) Ok, I know some of you will not believe for a minute that Danny Messer went over a year without having S-E-X. For myself, I believe that love is a very powerful thing. It changes people. And I believe it changed Danny. So that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

2.) I find myself thinking of the most incongruous things at the most inopportune times. So my characters do the same thing. Thus, we have Danny thinking of Sid doing his autopsy in the midst of Lindsay's tirade. Although I stole the idea from Hawkes in "The Deep"

3.) I really do love getting reviews. Hint! {grin}.

4.) The next chapter will be a little break from all this angst.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes****: WARNING! Smut-fest ahead. If you don't care for M-rated fic, or are under the age of consent in your locality, steer clear of this chapter. I promise, you won't miss anything important. It's pretty much PWP and can be summarized as "They kiss and make up". **

**APOLOGY: I truly apologize that this took so long. First, my laptop died. I had backups of all my chapters and notes, but it was two weeks before I got the laptop back. When I got the laptop back, I had to concentrate on catching up on work. It's that pesky wanting money for food and rent thing! Lastly, I like to have two chapters finished before I post one. And chapter 5 is really driving me crazy. I've never done a WIP before and I'm running into continuity issues already! So I'm going against my own rule by posting Ch. 4 before Ch. 5 is ready, but I don't want to keep my lovely and loyal readers waiting any longer.**

**THANK YOU! Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed or put this on their alerts. You keep me going.**

**And now, on with our story…**

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**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title****: A Father's Heart, Chapter 4 - Smutermission (completed 05/10/2009)**

**Chapter Rating****: M **

**Word Count****: 3,111**

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Lindsay awoke the next morning and went in to check on Lucy, who was happily kicking in her crib; awake, but thankfully not fussy. After a quick change, Lindsay took her into the kitchen. She set up the coffee pot, then sat down to give the baby a quick feeding. When the coffee was done, she put the baby in her play gym and fixed some tea for herself. She had been truthful when she told Danny she liked the tea, but that didn't mean she wasn't looking forward to the day when she could drink coffee again.

Danny wandered in, sniffing the aroma appreciatively. He bent down and scooped Lucy up from the play gym, holding her high above his head, then bringing her down to blow kisses on her belly. She giggled, then dribbled milky spit down Danny's chest.

Lindsay smirked and grabbed the small towel she kept handy for just such emergencies. Wetting a corner, she began by wiping the baby's face clean, and settled her back in the play gym. Then she proceeded to wipe her husband's chest.

"I think I warned you about doing that right after she's been fed. I don't make all this milk just so she can spit it back up, you know!"

Danny grinned. The spit-up had dribbled all the way down to the waistband of his pajama bottoms, and he was waiting to see just how far Lindsay would take her cleaning efforts. Last night they had kissed and held each other close, both of them glad that they had been able to talk things out. But make-up sex had never been part of their equation. He didn't have to be at the lab until ten, so maybe…

Lindsay paused as she reached his pants, then looked up, a sly grin on her face, as though she'd read his mind. Tossing the messy towel into the sink, she pulled the elastic waist of his pants and peered down inside, watching the remaining spit-up travel lazily down.

"I think you're going to need a shower, Mr. Messer."

"I thought you were going to finish cleaning me up?" Danny said in his best crestfallen tone.

"Never said you'd be takin' that shower alone!"

She released his waistband, allowing the elastic to snap back. Then she took off running for the bathroom.

"Ooh…you're gonna pay for that one, Mrs. Messer!"

Danny took off running after her, but nearly tripped on his slightly too long sweatpants. Before he could catch her, Lindsay had shed the oversized t-shirt that she used for a nightgown and stripped off her panties. She was bending over to start the water, her tight little derriere wiggling invitingly. Suddenly, Danny couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

Satisfied that the water temperature was just right, Lindsay wondered what happened to her husband. He should have caught her by now. She stood and turned around to find him standing in the bathroom doorway.

"Danny? Is something wrong?" She was beginning to get concerned. Maybe he wasn't completely ok with some of the things they'd discussed last night.

"I…You… I just can't believe sometimes… You're so beautiful."

Lindsay stepped toward him, her hips swaying provocatively. She placed her hands on either side of his waist, stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

Her tongue teased his lips. He opened to her, his own tongue gently tangling with hers as his arms went around her, taking some of the weight off her toes. He brought one hand back up to cradle her head, his fingers tangling in her curls, his thumb gently stroking her ear.

She stuck her index fingers into either side of his pants, working them down over his hips until he stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. Pulling back, she took his hand and led him into the steamy shower.

Grabbing the soap, she worked up a lather and began washing his chest, making sure all traces of the sticky residue were washed away. Then she moved down to wash the area below his waist. Again, she worked up a lather in her hands. First she applied the suds to the area just around his navel, then down into his pubic hair. With that done, she used both hands to gently work the lather up and down his erect member, circling it with her hand and twisting slightly as she moved up its length. The soapy lather eliminated most of the friction that would otherwise have quickly stimulated his release, turning the activity into slow, exquisite torture.

She passed the soap to Danny, who worked up a lather of his own and began to gently apply the suds to her breasts, using his thumbs to swirl around the areole, tickling and flicking her nipples. He'd gotten used to the little spurts of milk that would sometimes result from his attentions. He hadn't gotten up the nerve yet to ask if he could sample her breast milk.

"Danny?" Lindsay had moved to working the lather around his balls, jiggling and caressing them gently, but she stopped suddenly, standing up to face him. The sudden change of mood made him stop as well.

"Hmm?"

"Does that… gross you out?"

Danny shook himself. Sixty to zero in point-two seconds wasn't easy on a guy. "Wh…What? Does what gross me out?"

Lindsay looked down at herself, then looked back up, her soapy hands waving just under her full breasts. "This, when the milk comes out. Does that gross you out?"

Danny couldn't believe his ears. "What?! NO! No. It's not gross. It's…. amazing."

"Oh."

Danny touched a finger under her chin, tipping her face up to look at him. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"It's just, you touch them, but you don't ever… suck on them… anymore. I miss that. But I figured maybe you didn't like the idea of getting milk in your mouth. It's ok if you don't. It's not like I'll be lactating forever."

Danny bent over, his soapy hands grasping his knees as he nearly hyperventilated trying not to laugh.

"Danny?"

"Oh, Montana!" Danny straightened back up, cupped her face in his hands and smiled. "I thought you would freak out if I did that. I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask if it would be ok! I wasn't sure how you would feel about me sucking… you know… where the baby does. But truthfully, I been dyin' to try it!"

Lindsay giggled and shook her head, causing water droplets to fly from her soaking wet hair. "Belly up to the bar, Messer!"

Danny smiled and kissed her. "I know they're kinda sensitive, so you let me know if you want me to stop, ok?" He bent down and gently stroked her nipple with his tongue, swirling it around, listening for any sounds of discomfort.

"Mmmmhh," Lindsay hummed. She renewed her soapy stroking of his cock. She could barely reach him, since she needed to stand straight to allow him access to her aching breasts. They would have to move this to the bed, soon.

Gratified by his success thus far, Danny took her nipple in his mouth and began to suck. Lindsay moaned, reveling in the attention. With one hand tangled in her wet hair, he sent the other down to tease and stroke her clit.

At first, Danny thought Lucy must have been very hungry that morning. He'd sucked a few drops, but nothing more. Then, suddenly, a small spurt of warm liquid was in his mouth. He swirled it around. It certainly didn't taste like milk from the grocery. It was a bit sweeter, with just a hint of saltiness. He didn't think he'd want to put it in his coffee, but it wasn't bad.

He was amazed that he could think of his little baby girl, while having hot, steamy shower sex with his wife. He'd have thought it would put an instant damper on his enthusiasm. But it didn't seem to bother him at all. If anything, it put him in mind of having more children, of seeing Lindsay blossom again, heavy with pregnancy. And even though he knew they weren't ready for another baby just yet, it was still a big turn-on for him. He made a mental note to ask her sometime if she wanted any more children, and if so, how many. He wasn't forgetting her declaration in the hospital that Lucy would be an only child. He was hoping that was just the too-fresh memories of the birth talking. It surprised Danny to realize that, while he'd never thought of having children before, he found himself wanting a large, boisterous brood.

Lindsay was moaning in earnest now, and seemed to have forgotten all about washing anything. Her hands were braced on his chest and she had thrown her head back. Danny increased the pressure on her clit, stroking it with his thumb now as he slid two fingers in and out. He felt her inner muscles spasm as she cried out his name.

"Danny, Danny, DANNY!"

Danny stilled the movement of his thumb, knowing that his wife's clitoris would be hypersensitive for a few moments as she came down from her orgasm. He slowed the movements of his fingers, gently stroking as he felt the muscular contractions that fluttered around them.

Lindsay sighed heavily, opened her eyes and looked up at her husband. "Danny, rinse, towel, bed, NOW!"

Chuckling, Danny quickly rinsed himself off, and made sure that all traces of soapy lather had likewise been rinsed off of Lindsay. He turned off the water, and grabbed the clean towel that had been conveniently placed on the toilet seat. Snapping it open, he wrapped it around both of them. More than a simple bath towel, this was an enormous bath sheet, nearly seven feet long. Made of incredibly soft Egyptian cotton, and ridiculously expensive, he'd invested in two of them after discovering his wife's penchant for starting things in a shower that ended in a bed. He wasn't crazy about wet sheets.

Lindsay had recovered from her shattering release and together they stepped out of the tub, and made their cocooned way out of the bath and into the adjoining bedroom. It was a bit awkward, but it allowed them to keep the connection as they each took one end of the towel and briskly dried off. Danny tossed the towel on the ground and wrapped his arms around his wife, kissing her tenderly. As the heat rebuilt between them, the kiss turned fiery, their tongues dueling. Danny moved to nuzzle Lindsay's neck as she pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed. Breaking contact, she moved to kneel in front of him, her intent clear.

"No, Linds. Not this time," he said as he glanced at the clock. He raised her back up as he stood, one hand hooking under her knees to lift her into his arms. "Sorry babe, but I gotta be at work in 45. I wanna make sure we have time for a proper finale."

Lindsay wrapped her hands around his neck, turned her face into his chest to muffle her giggles. "Geez, Messer, you never let me have * any * fun!"

Danny grinned a devilish grin and tossed a screaming Lindsay into the middle of their queen-sized bed. Growling low in his throat, he climbed up and caged her with his body, arms and knees on either side of her.

"Forgive me if I misinterpreted, but I think * you * had your fun in the shower, Ms. Monroe!"

"That's 'Mrs. Messer' to you, Mister," she squirmed, wriggling to lie comfortably amid the tangled sheets and blankets, "but there's fun – 'getting' and fun – 'giving' and I was looking forward to having a little fun giving."

"Have no fear, 'Mrs. Messer'," he said, lowering himself to resume nibbling her neck and moving up to lightly stroke her ear with his tongue, something he knew would render her nearly comatose with need, "I plan to make sure you give as good as you get."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny's eyes fluttered open as he lay on his back. Snaking one arm under Lindsay's shoulders, he drew her into his chest, holding her tightly. He glanced again at the clock, noting that he had just 25 minutes to dress and get to the lab. He'd have to take the bike. No way he could make it in time on the subway. Reluctantly, he kissed the top of her head and gently moved out from under her, pulling the blankets up to keep her warm.

"I guess you gotta go, huh?"

"Yea. I wanna make sure I stay on Mac's good side. You know how he is about bein' on time." Danny ducked into the bathroom. He didn't have time for another shower, so he grabbed a washcloth and gave himself a quick wipe-down. With luck, he'd have time for a more thorough shower in the locker room sometime during his shift. He walked back into the bedroom, where he found Lindsay sitting up in the middle of the bed, the sheet pulled around her back. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, her arms clasped lightly around her legs.

"Danny, what should I tell Mrs. Wells if she calls?" Lindsay followed Danny with her eyes as he quickly gathered clean clothes and began to dress.

"Mrs. Who?" he asked, pulling a tank top over his head.

"Mrs. Wells, the lady from Child and Family Services. She said she'd call today to arrange a visitation."

"Oh, right." He finished buttoning his shirt and reached for the slacks he'd tossed onto the bed. Thrusting one leg through, he looked up as he got his balance on one leg so that he could finish putting his pants on. "I don't know, maybe we should meet the kid. I gotta admit I'm curious what Melinda was about, y'know, puttin' my name down as the father." He pulled his slacks the rest of the way up, latched the hook and zipped them up, wriggling a bit to make sure that everything was comfortably situated.

"And you figure if we go along with things we can do a little investigating and get more information?"

Danny looked up and smiled as he grabbed his belt and began to run it through the loops around his waist. "Exactly. A lot of the girls I went to high school with weren't too smart, but Melinda wasn't like that. She had a pretty good head on her shoulders. It doesn't make sense that she would pull a stunt that had no chance of succeeding. There's something more going on here, and I want to figure out what it is. Maybe I can talk to the kid, see if he remembers his mom sayin' something that will point to who his real daddy is."

"Danny!" Lindsay's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in shock, "You cannot interrogate a 3 year old boy! Especially not with a social worker watching you!"

Danny chuckled, "Give me some credit, Montana. I'm not going to * interrogate * the kid. I'm just gonna have a conversation with him." Grabbing her robe from where it lay on a small chair by the window, he wrapped it around her shoulders. He kissed her sweetly and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Go ahead and set up a time. I won't be home until at least eight or nine, so tonight's probably not good, but I got the next two days off, unless something big comes up."

Lindsay shrugged her arms into the robe. Danny reached out a hand to help her up out of the bed and they walked out of the bedroom, his arm drapped around her shoulders as she wrapped the robe around herself. Danny stopped and turned toward her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You ok with this, Linds? 'Cause if you want me to just drop it, I will."

She looked up and smiled at him, her arms unfolding so that she could put her hands on his waist. "No, I'm fine with it Danny. I'm kind of curious myself to find out more about this. It's all just so… so unbelievable." She caught the look in his eyes and was quick to add, "Not that I don't believe you, because I do. I do. It's just so bizarre that a woman you never slept with would make a claim like this."

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Um… just so we're clear, Lindsay. I didn't say I * never * slept with her. I did. But it was ages ago, back in high school. Matter of fact, Melinda was… well… she was the first."

"Really?" Lindsay was intrigued now. "Now I'm * really * interested," she teased, "So Melinda got your cherry? Any chance she's just been holding a torch for you all these years and this is all just part of an elaborate fantasy she built up around you?"

"Nah… I don't think so." Danny took her hand and moved into the kitchen. He wanted to kiss Lucy goodbye before he went to work and he really needed to get moving if he was going to be on time. "Like I said, she was pretty level-headed, even back then. Had all kinds of plans to get out of that neighborhood and make something of herself."

They had reached the play gym, where Lucy was happily lying on her back, reaching up for the squishy toys that dangled just above her. Danny released Lindsay's hand and bent down to pick up his daughter. He rubbed noses with her briefly, "You take good care of Mommy, today, Princess," he told her. He pressed a kiss to his little girl's cheek, then whispered, "And thanks for being so good and lettin' your ma and me have a little playtime this mornin'."

Danny cradled his daughter in one arm as he gathered Lindsay in with his other arm. They walked the last few steps to the front door, where he paused to give his wife one more lingering kiss before settling Lucy in her arms. "Be sure you lock the door good. Let me know if the CFS lady calls. I'll call you when I get a break."

With one final quick kiss, he turned and started down the stairs.

"Danny!" Lindsay called to him, "be careful, ok?"

Danny stopped midway down the first flight of stairs, turned and winked. "I always am, babe. I always am."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: The first few paragraphs are a review for anyone who didn't want to read Chapter 4. **

**This posting is a little gift for my faithful readers and reviewers, who deserve more, after waiting so long, than the smut-muffin that was chapter 4. I decided to knuckle down and get the next chapter (5) worked out, and chapter 6 is about half done. And I promise, I really will try to update more often!**

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**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 5 (completed 05/10/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: 3,046**

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Danny thought back on the previous day and night as he sped through the streets of Manhattan on his Harley, heading for the lab. The news that a girl from his old neighborhood had died, leaving a three year old son with a birth certificate that listed Danny Messer as the father came as a huge shock. He was thankful that he was able to talk things out with Lindsay; that he finally convinced her that the boy couldn't be his. He'd been terrified that she would somehow be jealous of something that would have happened long before they were involved, even if it didn't actually happen. He was terrified of losing her.

He should have realized his Montana was more reasonable than that. He'd nearly fucked up in reverse with his vehement denials. Instead of being jealous of his playboy past, Lindsay was disappointed that he was refusing to take responsibility for a child that he fathered. He had disappointed her. He'd known it would happen, he just hadn't thought it would happen quite this way, or quite this soon.

They'd made love that morning before he left. He knew that good sex didn't necessarily mean that everything was ok, but he hoped they had worked everything out. She seemed to understand his need to get to the bottom of the whole situation. The CFS lady, Mrs. Wells, was supposed to call and Lindsay was going to set up a time for them to visit with Melinda's kid. He would talk to the boy. Danny wasn't sure he'd be able to get anything substantive from a three year old, but it was a start. And maybe, if he let things proceed, he'd get access to some of Melinda's papers or something. Something to shed some light on why she wanted the world to believe that he was her son's father.

He knew he needed to tread lightly and not let things go so far that it would actually hurt the kid. He'd have to be careful not to let the boy get attached. As much as he wanted and needed to know what was going on, he wasn't about to harm an innocent child just to satisfy his curiosity. Still, he knew himself. He could be a bulldog when he was chasing after a mystery. If he chased after this one too far, he'd disappoint himself and Lindsay, too.

He had just pulled his bike in the lab's parking garage when his cellphone rang. Finding a spot, he stopped the bike, killed the engine and lowered the kickstand. When he pulled the phone out of his pocket, he groaned, seeing "MAC" flashing on the screen. Just below, the time, 10:01 AM flashed. Danny quickly flipped the cover. "Yea, Mac. I'm in the garage, I'll be right up."

"No, Danny," came Mac's voice over the phone, "I'm heading to a scene, I need you to join me there. I've got your kit with me; you can come straight over. I'll text the address to you."

"Sure thing, Mac." Danny started the motorcycle's engine and checked the address on his phone. "Hmmm… Pierrepont Street, high class," he mused as he maneuvered the bike back out onto the busy street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny arrived at the address about 20 minutes later. Mid-morning traffic across the bridge wasn't too bad for once. Parking the bike in front of the building, he double- and triple-checked the address. Seeing the department SUV also parked in front, he whistled, "Well, I guess high class gets crime too, sometimes." He removed his helmet and tucked it into the saddlebags, then ran up the expansive staircase to the front of the building. The door was locked. A small brass plate held the letters "A" and "B", with small brass buttons next to each. He pressed "B" and waited.

"Danny, that you?" emanated from a small speaker below the two buttons.

"Yea, Mac. Buzz me in." Instead of the usual annoying buzz, a pleasant chime sounded and a tiny click announced the release of the door latch. Danny walked in, carefully closing the door behind him.

He found himself standing in the middle of a marbled lobby. In the center was a round table, decorated with a large vase of flowers. Back and to the right was an elegant double doorway. Just to the right of the doorway, a small brass plate on the wall bore the letter "A" and a name engraved in decorative script. On the left, a wide staircase led up two stories. On the wall at the bottom was another brass plate, this bearing the letter "B" and a stylized hand pointing up. Danny gripped the wrought iron handrail and proceeded up the stairs, two at a time.

Reaching the top, he came to another double doorway. Looking for the ubiquitous brass plate, he was surprised to note that it had apparently been removed. There was a clean void where the plate should have been, and Danny noted small tears in the surrounding wallpaper. Whoever had removed the plate hadn't been very careful about it.

He knocked on the door, which opened slightly. Placing his hand on his gun, he cautiously stepped inside.

"NYPD!" he shouted. "Mac? You in here?"

"Yea, Danny." Mac suddenly appeared in the foyer, a roll of crime scene tape in his hands. Danny relaxed visibly. "I was expecting a couple of unis here, but they haven't arrived yet. Right now it's just you and me. Adam will be joining us in a few minutes. Help me get this tape up, inside the door. We've been asked to keep this as quiet as possible."

"So what brings us all the way out here, boss? This isn't our usual neighborhood." Danny looped one end of the yellow tape to a door hinge while Mac did the same on the other side.

"The local precinct chief lives in the ground floor unit. In light of possible conflict of interest, we've been asked to step in." Mac quickly cut the tape and gestured for Danny to follow him.

Danny nearly had to bite his tongue to keep from whistling as they walked from one elegantly appointed room to the next. He knew precinct chiefs were near the top of the payscale, but he had to wonder how anyone on the police force could afford these kinds of surroundings. Was there something Mac wasn't telling him? Police were known to close ranks around one of their own, but Mac was usually a pretty straight shooter. He'd gone after dirty cops before. Still, Danny was pretty sure no one short of the commissioner himself could afford to live in this building.

"A young woman was found dead here two days ago." Mac continued through a door into a spacious bedroom. "Initially, everything pointed to an accidental electrocution. She was found lying on the floor here." Mac indicated a spot on the floor, near the bed. "She was gripping a power cord, apparently trying to yank it out of the wall socket." Mac kneeled down to examine the socket. "There are signs of scorching around the socket, and there were worn areas in the insulation of the cord. The victim had burn marks on her hand, consistent with electrocution"

Danny kneeled down to examine the carpet where the victim had been found. "Sounds pretty open and shut, Mac. So what's up?"

"Autopsy revealed that the victim died of carbon monoxide poisoning, and the burns were post-mortem."

Danny whistled, looking around the room. "So… where's the power cord? Shouldn't there be a chalk outline of our vic here?"

Mac rose and put on a pair of gloves. "That's part of the challenge, Danny. The scene was never processed after the victim was initially found. The local coroner pronounced COD on-scene and the local PD didn't see any reason to pursue it further. The door was locked, but no guard was posted. It's been almost 48 hours between the removal of the body and my arrival this morning. The coroner's report mentions the power cord, but it wasn't taken in evidence, and now it's not here. It's possible, of course, that it was simply lost when the body was removed, and the carbon monoxide poisoning may have also been accidental. It's also possible that someone has been here to cover up a crime. It's our job to find out the truth."

Danny stood, his gloved hands on his hips. He turned, surveying the room. "So we gotta look for the evidence that's here, but also look for the evidence that's * not * here."

"Exactly." Mac turned to exit the room. "You get started in here, I'll start processing the rest of the apartment until Adam gets here."

Danny stood in the center of the room and turned slowly, allowing himself a moment to get a sense of the big picture before he began to tackle the minutia of evidence. On the floor where the vic had been found were scattered the discarded bits and pieces of medical paraphernalia used by the paramedics as they tried unsuccessfully to revive their patient. Paper wrappings from EEG leads, gloves, and a few other items he couldn't immediately identify formed a pattern on the floor. As Danny continued to examine the array of trash, he realized that they formed an outline of their own. Far from exact, of course, but the obvious void in the middle of the debris gave a clear indication of where the body lay. He began by photographing the overall area, and then carefully placed numbered markers near each item. After a few more wide shots, he began to photograph the items in greater detail, after which he methodically walked around the room, taking photographs of every corner and nook.

There was an imposing queen-sized mahogany sleigh bed centered under a wide window, flanked by matching bedside tables. A mirrored dresser stood against one wall, next to a door that Danny discovered led to a large, but nearly empty walk-in closet. Facing the bed on the far wall was a bookshelf. As he completed his photos, Danny realized that the entire room was devoid of personality. It was tastefully decorated, in the same way that a fine hotel room might be. The walls were decorated with a few non-descript floral paintings. The furniture all matched, and appeared to be new. The bookcase was full of nicely bound volumes, of a uniform size and color. Looking closer, he found that most were classic literature titles, apparently purchased as a set. It was equally apparent that none had ever actually been read. Interspersed with the books were vases, small porcelains and other decorative items, all very innocuous. But there were no personal items anywhere, no framed family photos, no momentos, not even the bits of jewelry or other personal items that a woman might leave on a nightstand when she came home in the evening.

Pursuing this anomaly further, Danny began to open the dresser drawers. In one he found a sparse array of lady's panties with matching bras, and some packaged hosiery. In another he found neatly folded jeans and a few ladies t-shirts. The remaining drawers were empty, as were the drawers in the tables by the bed. Returning to the closet, he catalogued the items there. Three dresses and two ladies business suits, four blouses obviously meant to be worn with the suits, and one more formal long gown. He fingered the fine silk, letting it flow across his gloved hand reminding him of the one time he'd seen Lindsay dressed up. She'd been called to a crime scene after a night at the opera. He wasn't a great fan of fancy dress-up affairs, but every time he remembered that night, he vowed to find a reason to get Lindsay to dress up like that again. He was even willing to wear a monkey suit himself, if that's what it took. He'd managed to get tickets to the NYPD holiday ball last December, but Lindsay hadn't been too enthused at the idea of getting a maternity ball gown, so he'd dropped the idea. He'd have to start working on it again. The tickets were free, but there were a limited number available, and of course, there was the added difficulty of getting the evening off for both of them, and now, a babysitter. Still, it would be worth it. To him, Lindsay was beautiful in an old t-shirt and jeans. But that didn't mean he didn't appreciate her beauty that much more when it was wrapped up in something dazzling!

Realizing he'd been caught up in another daydream, Danny let the fabric drop out of his hands. "I gotta stop that," he muttered to himself, "Six months married, with a baby girl and I still act like a love struck teenager sometimes." He chuckled and continued to scan the closet.

He looked up and around and noted that the shelves above were just as bare as the rest of the room-sized area. There was, however, a suitcase on the floor in one corner. He grabbed it and went back out into the bedroom, laying the case on the neatly made bed. It was very light, and he suspected he'd find it empty, but he needed to check, just the same.

Looking all around the case, Danny found the two zipper pulls that would open it linked together just under the handle with a tiny brass padlock. He spent a moment looking and feeling around the handle and the edges of the case, hoping he might find the key, but no luck. Stepping over to where his case was sitting by the bedroom door, he retrieved a pair of long nose pliers and returned to the bed, where he made quick work of the flimsy lock. Unzipping the case, he flipped it open. The main compartment was empty. He began feeling around the sides, and opened the two zippered pockets on each side, finding nothing. Thinking his initial assessment was proving correct; Danny reached perfunctorily into the small compartment in the lid and felt something. Opening the compartment wider, he looked inside and saw that it contained a large, thick envelope, which he removed and laid carefully on the bed. He looked again, and felt for anything else, but the suitcase was now truly empty. Picking up the envelope, he found it was one of those interoffice types that had a string tie. Unwinding the string, he carefully opened the envelope and looked inside. His eyes grew wide. It was stuffed with several neatly bound stacks of one hundred dollar bills.

"Well, at least she didn't stuff her money in her mattress!"

Danny carefully retied the string, got an oversized evidence bag from his kit and placed the envelope inside, marking it with the case number and his initials. He needed to finish processing the room, and then he'd call Mac in so that they could count the money together and seal the bag.

Looking around the room, he decided he needed to take a closer look at things. He reopened every drawer, but still found nothing of interest. Turning to the bookcase, he peered into the vases, and lifted the lids of a couple of porcelain bowls. Then he began to look through the books, but realized that it would take him forever to rifle through the pages of each one. Scrutinizing them more carefully, he sensed that the books had not been moved since they had originally been placed on the shelves, with one exception. A copy of _Ulysses_ seemed to be just slightly out of line compared to the other books surrounding it. Pulling it carefully from its spot, he began to flip through the pages and was not surprised when something slipped out and nearly fell to the floor. He caught it deftly, and began to examine it, flipping it over.

The book slipped out of his hands, falling heavily onto his foot. Athletic shoes don't provide a lot of protection, and the book was heavy. He yelped in pain and fell back to sit on the edge of the bed, one hand rubbing his injured toes as he continued to stare at the item in his other hand.

He needed to get Mac in here, now. Mac would probably remove him from the case, and Danny knew he'd be right to do so, especially once Danny told him the whole story. On the other hand, if he didn't say anything right away, he might be able to get the answers to some questions. If he hadn't opened that book, it might have been some time before he made the connection. Without the item he was holding in his hands, it was plausible that he might have continued processing evidence for several hours before he came to know what he now suspected. That is, of course, if what he was assuming was, in fact, true.

Danny stared at the photo in his hand and knew that he could never let Mac down that way. He knew he'd been a thorn in Mac's side on more than one occasion. And he thanked God that Mac had seen past his quick temper and his tendency to act rashly and had given him a second and even third chance. No way would he repay the man by hiding something from him that could potentially damage the lab's credibility, and compromise a case. Moreover, it just wasn't in him to do that, no matter how tempting it might be.

"Mac! I need you to come in here and lookat somethin'!"

Danny looked up as the reply came, "All right, Danny, I'll be right there!"

He quickly stood, knowing that Mac would not be pleased to find him sitting on the vic's bed. He paced a bit, waiting for his boss to appear.

"What's up Danny? Did you find something?" The older man walked into the room just as Danny turned back to face him.

"Mac, do you know the name of our vic?"

Mac was surprised to see pain in Danny's eyes. He knew Danny sometimes responded emotionally to crime scenes and wondered what had prompted the question, and his apparent turmoil.

"Her name is Melinda….Melinda Ponzio."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes: Yes, I'm actually posting a 3****rd**** chapter in as many days! Please don't get used to it, ha, ha! I'm only doing it so that I can make this shameless plug:**

**Be sure to stop by the CSI:NY Fanfiction Awards, 2009 and nominate your favorite stories! .net/s/5055483/1/**

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**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 6 (completed 05/12/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: **

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"Shit, Mac! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Danny began to pace again, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempted to process the ironic situation his boss had just confirmed. He was holding a photo of a woman who had been his childhood friend. The same woman who, he had learned only yesterday, had died and left a three-year-old boy whose birth certificate proclaimed Daniel Giovanni Messer as the father.

Danny had been unknowingly gathering evidence at the scene of her death until he came across the photo he now held, tucked into a book. If it were just a matter that he had known her long ago, it likely wouldn't have been an issue. New York was a big city, but that didn't mean that CSIs didn't occasionally deal with cases of people with whom they had some tenuous past connection. But the question of Danny's paternity of the victim's son made for too much potential conflict.

Mac watched the young man pace, knowing something was seriously bothering him, but also knowing that it was best to allow him the time to find the words he needed. He waited, not entirely patiently, but willing to give Danny a moment to gather his thoughts. He hadn't seen him this agitated since the night they'd discussed Danny's unsuccessful marriage proposal. That discussion had resulted in a joyful and successful, second attempt. Somehow, Mac didn't think this discussion would end so well.

"Mac," Danny finally said, "I think you're gonna haveta take me offa this case." Danny's accent always thickened when his emotions rose.

"I take it you know this woman, Danny?" Mac hoped he would stop pacing soon. The tension radiating off of the young man was palpable.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know her." Danny stopped and looked up, nervously tapping the photo he was holding against his other hand.

Mac winced, realizing that the photo was probably evidence and wasn't being handled in the most professional manner. It was obvious the photo had something to do with Danny's agitation, but Mac couldn't quite make out what was in it.

Danny continued. "I *knew* her, Mac…a long time ago."

"Were you…close to her, Danny?"

"Like I said, Mac, it was a long time ago. She lived down the street when I was growin' up." Danny knew he needed to get to the point. Mac could be very patient when a case affected one of his team more than usual, but Danny realized he couldn't keep the man waiting forever. "It's more complicated than that."

Danny sketched a brief outline of the visit from Child and Family Services the previous evening, stressing that he adamantly believed that he was not the boy's father. Still, he was likely to be embroiled in a complicated investigation that could potentially compromise his credibility on this case.

"I'm sorry, Mac. It seems like every time I turn around I'm puttin' you in a difficult position."

"Don't worry about it, Danny. You can't do anything about your past. It's just a bizarre coincidence that I put you on the case of this woman, with whom you're already connected. I appreciate that you are conscientious about bringing these issues to me as soon as you become aware of them. I know I've been hard on you about some things, but I've never questioned your integrity Danny, you should know that. I have a great deal of respect for you." Mac gripped his shoulder tightly, trying to emphasize the feeling behind his words. If there was one thing that truly concerned him about Danny, it was that he never seemed to realize his own good qualities. Whenever life threw Danny Messer a curve, he was too eager to take the blame upon himself, to see it as evidence of failure on his part. Mac wondered what had happened in the young man's past to so damage his self worth.

"Hawkes is working a double homicide in the finance district with Stella. I'll give him a call and get him over here and you can take over for him. I need you to bag your gloves and then I want you to wait by the front door until Hawkes or Adam gets here. Then you can head across town."

Danny's face brightened minutely when he realized that Mac was neither upset nor disappointed that Danny's past had again come forward to cause problems. He almost smiled when Mac actually said he respected him. Then he looked back at the photo in his hand.

"Mac, there's a couple more things before I go." Danny glanced over to the bed where the large envelope of money sat next to the open suitcase that he found in the closet. "The envelope there, on the bed. There's a lot of money in it. I was waiting to finish processing the room before I had you come in to count it."

Mac walked over to the bed and picked up the evidence bag containing the brown envelope. "Did you touch any of it, or take anything out of the envelope?"

"No, Mac. As soon as I looked inside, I closed it back up and put it in the bag."

"Good. I can count it with Adam." Mac became thoughtful for a moment, not sure how to say what he needed to say without offending the other CSI.

"It's ok, Mac," Danny shrugged, then continued. "I know you'll have to search me once Adam or Hawkes gets here. It's procedure. When that kinda money is found at a crime scene, you gotta make sure it's kept secure. And under the circumstances, you have to do everything by the book. I understand that. I don't mind."

Mac breathed a sigh of relief. "You said there were two things, Danny?"

Danny took one more look at the photo. "Yea. The second thing is…this."

He handed the photo to Mac, who looked at it carefully and frowned. "I take it the woman in this photo is Melinda Ponzio?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's her." Danny shoved his hands in his pockets, no longer having the photo to keep them occupied.

"Do you have any idea when or where this was taken?" Mac continued to scrutinize the photo; trying to determine what significance it might have in the case. He hoped Danny's connection to this would end with the woman's claim that he had fathered her son. And for Lindsay's sake, he hoped Danny's denial would prove true.

"That's definitely the old neighborhood, cause that's Melinda's parents' home in the background. The shutters are painted green in the picture. I remember I went home to visit Pop and Mommy right after I started in the lab and the Ponzios had just painted their shutters blue. And when I went with Linds a few months ago, they were still blue. They'd been green ever since I was a kid though. So I know it's at least five or six years ago, but it could be a lot longer."

Mac chuckled. "You always pay such close attention to the neighbors' shutters, Danny?"

"Nah, Mac. It's the training, ya know? It's hard to turn it off. I just notice things. And I remember." Danny shrugged and, pulling his hands back out of his pockets, he began to fidget, trying to twirl his wedding ring inside the glove. It didn't work well, and he crossed his arms in an effort to hold himself still.

"I know what you mean," Mac agreed, "it's an occupational hazard, but I guess it's better to notice too much than too little." He continued to look at the photo. "Well, she certainly doesn't look like a teenager in this photo. I'm guessing she's at least in her twenties. So that would put this somewhere between five and ten years ago."

Mac turned and grabbed two evidence bags from Danny's kit, slipping the photo into one and handing the other to Danny. "C'mon, Danny. Bag your gloves, I'll bag this and secure the cash. Then I'll call Adam and see what's keeping him. I'll need you to go over what you've done so far with him before you leave."

Danny nodded, stripped off his gloves and sealed them in the small plastic bag. He closed up his kit and followed Mac out the door, turning for one last look at the bedroom. He wondered if he would ever get to the bottom of the many mysteries that suddenly surrounded his old childhood friend.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Being searched by Mac, while a very embarrassed Adam watched, had been uncomfortable, but he'd endured worse things. He gave his camera to Adam so that the younger man could process his photos of the bedroom. Then he went over all the details of what he'd photographed and the areas he'd searched. Adam would have to repeat the searches, but as long as nothing contradicted Danny's report, he wouldn't have to spend much time on it.

Danny spent about two hours helping Stella finish up on the double homicide. It looked to be a pretty clear case of murder/suicide, related to a stock market scheme gone bad. He still had a lot of evidence to process. By the time he got back to the lab it was well past lunch and he was starving. He planned to lock up his evidence and run out for a slice before he spent the rest of the afternoon processing. Danny was waiting to catch the elevator back down when he heard Mac's voice calling him.

"Danny! Can you step into my office a moment?"

Danny turned around to see Mac standing in the door of his glass-enclosed office, gesturing for him to come over. Sheldon Hawkes was seated inside the office, reading something off a computer tablet. As Danny walked over, Hawkes looked up and set the tablet aside. He stood and gripped Danny's arm, patting his shoulder with his other hand.

"Danny, Mac told me about this mess with Melinda Ponzio. It's weird, man! I mean Brooklyn Heights is not even our usual stomping grounds and you of all people get called in on the case. Too freaky! You ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good," Danny nodded, acknowledging his teammate and returning the grip as Mac gestured for him to sit on the couch. Hawkes drew up a chair and sat opposite while Mac leaned up against his desk, his hands braced on the desktop behind him.

Danny sat, his hands clasped between his knees. He looked up at his boss, wondering what was in store. He knew Mac was trying to make him feel comfortable, but somehow he felt like he was on the wrong side of the table down in interrogation.

"Danny," Mac began, clearly not completely comfortable either, "given your involvement with the victim, Melinda Ponzio, I have to ask you some questions. I want you to know that this is not a formal interrogation, but, if you prefer to do this with legal council, I can call for the union rep or give you time to obtain your own attorney."

Danny sat back and digested this for a minute. Anyone being questioned by the police had a right to have council present. If the person was actually under arrest, they had to be informed of this right prior to questioning. However, when a formal arrest hadn't yet been made, it wasn't common practice to remind the person being questioned of this right. Did he have something to worry about? Danny knew that Mac would have to get the full story of his involvement with Melinda at some point. He'd expected to be questioned. But he hadn't really been near Melinda in years. There couldn't be anything that connected him to her death. Could there? "Stop this!" He thought to himself. He was getting worked up over nothing, surely.

"Nah, Mac. I don't think that's necessary."

Danny thought Mac relaxed a bit. He hoped that was a good sign. He took a deep breath and hoped he would be able to relax as well.

"Danny," Mac said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Why don't you start by telling us how long you've known Ms. Ponzio?"

Danny sat forward again, his arms on his knees. "Geez, Mac. I've known her just about all my life. Her family lives just a few doors down from mine. We grew up together. My ma and hers were friends, so I probably first met her when I was a baby." Danny stared out the window as he tried to dredge up old memories. "I guess my first memory of her is from before we even started school. She used to come over when her mom had to work and the two of us would play in the sandbox in my backyard."

"Ok, Danny," Mac smiled, "I think we've established you've known her a long time. Maybe you can fast forward a bit. You told me earlier that you dated her briefly." Mac trailed off, hoping Danny would pick up the lead.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure Mac, sure. I guess you might say that Melinda was my first girlfriend, when I got to the age that I started to notice girls, ya know?" Danny glanced between Mac and Hawkes. Both were listening intently, Mac still smiling. Hawkes was grinning. "I was about 14. All the time we were growing up, neither of us hung out too much with the other kids in the neighborhood. Melinda and I were a lot alike. We both loved playing sports, be we also really liked school. I guess we were geeks or nerds or whatever the term was at the time. Anyway, when the other guys were asking girls on dates, it just seemed to make sense for me to start dating Melinda. So I did. That went on until I was about 16, when she told me I needed to date other girls."

Hawkes snorted. "Wait a minute. She told * you * that you needed to date other girls?"

Danny chuckled, "Yeah, she did. You see, I loved her, but not like * that *. And she knew. I think she knew the whole time. But as long as she was dating me, she didn't have to deal with how some of the Neanderthals we went to high school with might treat her."

"So, you're saying the relationship ended…amicably…on both sides?" Mac pushed himself away from the desk and walked around it, to sit down in his chair.

"Yeah, we didn't argue or fight or nothin'. Just sort of agreed that we were good friends, but nothing else." Danny was beginning to feel like his informal interrogation was resembling a teenage girl's slumber party. The next thing, Hawkes would be asking him if he "liked" Melinda, or did he "like, like" her?

"And you stayed friends after you stopped dating?" asked Hawkes.

Danny turned to address the former ME. "Yeah, but we didn't see much of each other. Girls I dated didn't like me being 'friends' with another girl and I guess the guys she dated felt the same way about me. So we stopped hanging out together. I guess when you're 16, your hormones have a big say in what you do. I missed talking with Melinda, but by that time I wasn't as interested in talking with girls as I was in other things."

At that, both Mac and Hawkes chuckled. Mac grew quickly serious again. "Danny, when we were talking earlier, I got the impression that your relationship with Ms. Ponzio was more intimate that you make it sound. Did you resume the relationship at some later point?"

Danny looked up at his boss. This was really starting to be embarrassing. He could feel his face beginning to warm. "We never dated again after that, no. But the summer before our senior year, we were both…unattached. I had a good shot at getting a baseball scholarship, so I was spending all my time either working my summer job or practicing. I didn't have time or money for dates. Her parents own a restaurant and she worked most nights waitressing. But they would give her a couple of nights off each week and I'd go over to her place and we'd stay up late talking."

Danny looked at the other two men, wondering if he was really going to have to finish this story. Neither seemed ready to let him go. He sighed and tried to concentrate on his hands.

"Both of us were still…inexperienced." Danny looked up; wanting to be sure the two men understood what he meant. There was a tinge of color on Mac's face. Danny suspected the man never thought he would have to officially question one of his team about such a personal subject. He resumed his contemplation of his hands, nervously toying with his wedding band. "We talked about it a lot. What it would be like, who we would want to be 'the first'. It was almost time for school to start again and we decided that we ought to just look at it like a scientific experiment."

Hawkes snorted again and when Danny looked up, he noticed Mac's eyebrows had climbed up nearly into his hairline.

"What? I told you we were geeks! We decided it would be a whole lot better to get it done in a controlled environment. That way, when we finally did it 'for real', we wouldn't be so nervous."

Danny was sure his face was beet red by now. Hawkes was nearly choking he was trying so hard not to laugh.

Mac's face had turned decidedly pink, and there was the ghost of a smile on his face, but he was doing a good job of holding himself in check. "And I take it you completed your…experiment?"

"Yeah, we did. Twice, actually, if you gotta know. After the first time we figured once wasn't a good enough sample, scientifically speaking."

That was all Hawkes could take. He doubled over, holding his stomach and sputtering. "I never would have believed it. Danny Messer, the great ladies man, whose first time was a science experiment!"

"C'mon, Hawkes," Mac said, a grin belying his strict tone, "settle down. We still have a case to deal with. And I think Danny is embarrassed enough by all this."

Danny, in fact, wanted to sink into the floor all the way down to the garage. What he couldn't quite fathom was how his high school hijinks had any bearing on the case. It was so long ago, after all.

"Ok, Danny," Mac continued after Hawkes managed to get himself under control. "I just need to clarify a few more points. After your…teenage liaison with Ms. Ponzio, you never rekindled the relationship, not even for one night?"

"No, Mac, never. She started dating a football big shot during senior year, and I had what you might call a revolving door policy with the girls. I got my scholarship and then I joined the minor leagues. She went off to college and then into some sort of business, I think. I've seen her maybe two or three times since high school graduation. And then only just in passing."

"You're sure, Danny? You never maybe, ran into her in a bar…maybe you were drinking and didn't really recognize her?"

Now he was getting déjà vu. Lindsay had asked him almost exactly the same question. He felt anger rise in him and fought to keep it under control. He knew Mac was only asking based on the reputation he'd once had. And besides, it wasn't personal. It was a case.

"Yes, Mac. I'm sure. I know I had quite a reputation before Lindsay came along. I'm not saying I never had a one-night stand. I had a lot of them. And I'm not saying I remembered every woman after. I didn't. But I did have some rules. One was not to ever hook up with a woman when I was drunk. Too dangerous. And there is no way I could run into Melinda and not recognize her. It just didn't happen Mac."

"Ok, Danny, ok." Mac leaned back in his chair. He was glad to see that Danny had been able to control his temper. It was obvious he was struggling. Mac supposed he couldn't blame him. It had been uncomfortable for all of them, but he needed to be sure of all the facts.

"Mac?" Danny took a few deep breaths. "Can you tell me what all this has to do with me? Did you find something? Should I be worried?"

Mac heaved a deep sigh. "Danny, you know I can't really tell you anything about this case. I can't reveal to you any details about any evidence we've uncovered."

Danny's face fell. He'd known that would be Mac's answer. Still, he'd hoped perhaps the boss would bend the rules, just a bit.

"Danny," Mac continued, "I will tell you that you are in no way a suspect in this case."

Danny let out a breath. He felt as though he'd been holding it through the entire interview.

Mac stood and came back around the desk, his hands in his pockets. He glanced at Hawkes. Danny had the impression the two had talked at length about how they would conduct this interview, and about just how much they could reveal to their colleague. "I'm also going to tell you that our concern is more for the safety of Ms. Ponzio's son."

Danny stood. He paced to the other side of the office, his hands clasped on top of his head. He returned to stand in front of his teammate and his boss. Men who were his friends. "You're telling me he's in danger because someone thinks he's * my * son?"

Mac glanced again at Hawkes. He turned back to Danny, and held the younger man's eyes with his. "Danny, we have reason to believe that the Tanglewood Boys have resurfaced. They're intent on bringing a Messer back into the fold. And yes, it seems they believe that Melinda Ponzio's son is yours. We believe the Tanglewood Boys murdered her in order to get her…and your…son."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes: This has been difficult on two levels. First, I keep wanting to change the baby's name to Lucy; mostly because now I'm just used to thinking of DL's baby as Lucy. So if I mess up, please forgive me. I can't think of a plausible reason why they would suddenly change their daughter's name, or that's what I'd do.**

**Second, it's just really hard to keep going, given the events of the finale. This feels almost AU now, and it was never meant to be that. **

**But, I have my reviewers to keep me going (Yay, you! You all rock!). And I'm also touched to have a couple of nominations in the CSI:NY Fanfiction Awards. Thank you, thank you!**

**And now, on with the show. Let's see what Lindsay's been up to, shall we?**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 7 (completed 05/16/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: **

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lindsay stabbed the key to restart the mpeg file she was listening to for the fourth time. Danny's daughter was definitely not a morning person. While the little one slept in, Lindsay spent her mornings working online, taking courses to improve her evidence analysis skills. It helped her to feel like she wasn't completely out of touch with the lab and her profession. If it weren't for the sure knowledge that her maternity leave would soon be over and she'd be back at work, she would have gone insane weeks ago.

It wasn't that she didn't love her daughter and love being a mother. But as emotionally rewarding as it was, it wasn't exactly a mentally stimulating occupation; and Lindsay needed to feel that her mental gears were well oiled and functioning.

This morning she was working on audio-visual analysis. She was supposed to be splitting the tracks of a voice mail message, to capture a background noise that would pinpoint the location of the caller. But she'd been unable to pay attention long enough to even listen to the message once all the way through. Every time she restarted the recording, her mind drifted off to the events of last night.

Giving it up as a lost cause, Lindsay decided that her professional development as a CSI would just have to wait one more day. She pushed away from the desk, logged out of the university website and shut down the laptop. She decided to check on Lucy before taking a quick shower. Then, she could pack up the baby in her stroller and go for a walk around the neighborhood. It would do both of them good to get out and get some fresh air.

Lucy was right where Lindsay had left her earlier, stretched out on her back in her crib, snuggled warmly in a fleece romper. One tiny fist was flung up over the baby's head, stretched out slightly to one side, while the other was stretched down and away from her body as well. In her favored sleeping position, she looked like a tiny, cuddly caricature of John Travolta from the famous _Saturday Night Fever_ poster.

Lindsay smiled down at the love of her life and patted her belly gently. It was physically impossible for her to be in her daughter's presence and not touch her in some way. She put it mostly down to her instinctive need as a mother to ensure that the baby was ok. But she also knew that it was, in part, a sense of wonder at the miracle that was her baby girl. She was such a tiny little thing, and yet she had so totally transformed two people's lives. She'd brought out qualities in her father that Lindsay would never otherwise have believed existed.

Months ago, she really did think she knew Danny. She knew he was caring and loving, sweet and kind. She knew that he would do anything to help a friend and nearly anything to help a stranger. But she also believed that he would run from responsibility and commitment, or from anything that smacked of being tied down to home and family.

She couldn't have been more wrong and she'd never been happier to be wrong in her entire life.

She didn't expect anything, yet he gave himself to her and their child completely, and without reservation. She was the one who was hesitant; who wasn't ready to share her life with him. In the end, she came to realize that her fears were of the Danny she thought she knew, not of the real man.

Lindsay shook her head to snap out of her introspective reverie. She glanced at her watch and was surprised to note that it was nearly two in the afternoon. Danny had yet to call, but that wasn't terribly unusual. He was probably at a crime scene, totally focused on gathering whatever evidence he could find. She was sure he would call once he got back to the lab.

She was also surprised that the woman from Child and Family Services hadn't called. She seemed so insistent that Danny needed to meet Melinda's son. Lindsay wondered why. Was she hoping that Danny would form an immediate attachment once he met the boy? Lindsay hoped that, whatever was in store, Danny wouldn't be hurt again becoming attached to another woman's son.

Giving Lucy's cheek one more feather-light touch, she hurried into the bathroom to shower and change.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lindsay had made it just two blocks down the street when her cell vibrated in the pocket of her sweatpants. She was still working off the last few pounds of her baby fat and hadn't quite managed to get comfortably into her old jeans. And she refused to buy a larger size. She fished the phone out with one hand, keeping a firm hold on the stroller with the other.

"Messer," she answered.

"_Good afternoon, Mrs. Messer, this is Nancy Wells from Child and Family Services. We met last night_?"

Lindsay quickly steered the stroller one-handed to a small bench where she could sit down while she spoke. She was still new to the juggling act required to take a nearly newborn out into the world, and she didn't quite trust herself to walk, push the stroller and talk on the phone at the same time.

"_Mrs. Messer? Are you there?_"

"Yes, I'm sorry, Ms. Wells. I had my hands full and I needed to set some things down so that I can talk. I assume you've called to set a time to bring Joshua by to meet Danny?"

Lucy was beginning to fuss a bit. Lindsay turned the stroller so that Lucy would be able to see her face and the baby immediately began to gurgle happily.

"_Yes, I apologize for calling so late. I was called unexpectedly to testify at a hearing and I've just gotten out of court. It's too late now to arrange anything for this evening, but perhaps tomorrow, if that's convenient?"_

Lindsay wondered if she should suggest a morning visit, to leave the rest of the day for whatever Danny might want to do on his day off, or should she set up something for the afternoon in case he wanted to sleep in? She sighed. She knew Danny's heart, but his preferences and habits she was still a bit uncertain about. She decided to opt for getting the meeting out of the way to leave the rest of the day free.

"That's quite all right, Ms. Wells. We wouldn't have been able to do it today anyway, since Danny's working a shift and won't be home until late. Would ten in the morning be all right?"

"_That's perfect, Mrs. Messer. We'll see you then. Did you or your husband have any questions that came to mind after I left last night?_"

Lindsay thought for a moment. She had quite a few questions about Melinda Ponzio, but she wanted Danny to answer those. She also wondered what would happen to the boy, when it was finally proven that Danny wasn't his father. Was he still young enough to have a good chance at adoption? Or would he spend the next 15 years in foster care, bounced from home to home? But she couldn't very well ask those questions.

"I don't think so, Ms. Wells. We're just anxious to meet Joshua." It wasn't a lie. They were both curious and hoped meeting Melinda's child might answer some questions.

"_That's wonderful. I look forward to seeing you both again tomorrow morning at ten. I'm sure once you've both met Joshua, you'll realize that there is only one right thing to do. Goodbye, Mrs. Messer._"

"Goodbye!"

Lindsay slipped the phone back into her pocket and checked on Lucy, tucking the light blanket up around the baby's chin. It was warm in the sunshine, but there was a nip in the breeze that reminded her that October was just a few days away.

"Would it be so terrible if you had a big brother, baby?" She smiled at Lucy, who looked up and gurgled, but didn't answer.

It wasn't that she didn't believe Danny, she did. But there had to be a reason why Melinda named him as the father. And really, what did it matter given the alternative? Maybe that was it. Maybe Melinda simply hoped Danny would keep her child out of foster care, should the worst happen. She was a single mother, with parents unable to care for her child if something were to happen. Maybe she had no one else she could depend on. Anyone who knew Danny at all knew that he was softhearted, especially where kids were concerned. But if that were the case, why didn't she just ask him?

"Lucy, honey," Lindsay addressed the baby as she stood and continued to push the stroller down the street, "We're supposed to be in the park, enjoying the trees and the birds and the sunshine. We're not supposed to be sitting on a ratty old bench outside a crowded bodega surrounded by nothing but concrete. Whaddya say we get on down there while you're still awake to enjoy it, shall we?"

Lucy gurgled and cooed, which Lindsay interpreted as her agreement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny paced in his office thinking about the little that Mac had been able to tell him about Melinda Ponzio's death.

Tanglewood. He thought he'd heard the last of that group when Sonny Sassone had been sentenced to murder and sent to Sing-Sing. The added convictions for conspiracy, attempted murder and obstruction of justice had sealed his fate. Sonny was in for life, with no possibility of parole.

Salvador Zabo was dead, Sonny was in prison and Louie…well…Louie was where Louie was. Tanglewood should be history.

The familiar jingle of his cellphone rang out just as Danny's fist met the side of a file cabinet. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he glanced at the caller id. A ghost of a smile lit his face as he answered, shaking the sting from his fingers.

"Hey babe, what's up?"

"_Are you busy, Danny? 'Cause it can wait until you get home._"

"Nah, nah. 'S'ok. I'm just in the office. Same old, same old, you know? I got some evidence to process from this mornin' but nothin' that can't wait."

"_What's wrong, Danny? What happened? Are you ok?_" Lindsay's voice had gotten frantic.

Danny sat down on the small couch, leaned forward with his free arm draped across his thighs and sighed. "How do you do this, babe? You got ESP or somethin'? You always seem to know when things are goin' rough."

"_Seriously, Danny, are you ok?"_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine Linds, I'm fine. Just a little…I don' know…freaked out, I guess. Somethin' bizarre happened with a case I was workin' on this mornin', that's all. No shots fired, I promise. I'll tell you all about it tonight. I still wanna know how you always seem to know when to call. Like that time when you were in Montana and I'd just gotten back from a shootout. It was like you * knew *." Danny leaned back. Nothing could calm him down like talking to his wife. Well, except maybe holding her in his arms. He really wished she were here. Or better yet, that he was there.

"_It's not that hard, Danny_" Lindsay was calmer now. There was a chuckle in her voice. "_I call you every day. I'm going to do that on the rough days, too. You just notice it more when there's something on your mind. And you give yourself away. When you call me 'babe' with a nervous tone in your voice, I know something's up. And then you start trying to convince me that everything's normal and I know it's not. No day is ever 'normal' for us, you know that, Danny._"

"Yeah, I guess I do, I guess I do. So how are you? How's Lucy?" Danny's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, reminding him that he still hadn't eaten any lunch. And it was nearly four pm. He might have to make do with some chips from the vending machine. He didn't want to be late getting home if he could avoid it, and there still was quite a bit of evidence to work on from the morning.

"_We're both fine. We took a nice walk up to the park. Lucy had a conversation with a sparrow that decided to stop for a few minutes on the edge of her stroller. She reached up for him, though and he flew off. She's on the floor right now. She's trying to roll over. I put her bear just out of her reach and she's trying to get to it._"

"Geez, Montana! You tryin' to get her all frustrated? I'm gonna tell her she's got a mean mommy!" Danny chuckled. Lindsay was constantly doing things to 'enrich and encourage' their baby's development. He just wanted to pamper Lucy and do everything for her.

"_She's three months old, Danny. We need to encourage her to achieve all the developmental milestones. She's already reaching for things, but she should be able to roll over in another month or two. And then she'll start crawling and…"_

"Enough, Lindsay, enough! You'll have her in college next year at this rate. I'd like to enjoy my * baby * girl for a little while before she's grown and gone, 'kay?" Danny got up from the couch and walked to the door. If he was going to get that evidence processed, he needed to get on it. And he could walk and talk at the same time.

"_Ok, ok, Danny,_" Lindsay laughed, "_I'll let her stay three months old for another day or so. But then it's on to first grade next week!_"

They'd had variations of this conversation often. Lindsay knew it was all banter on Danny's part. He was enormously proud each time their daughter accomplished a milestone. He'd fussed over her when she'd laughed the first time at just three weeks old. And when she'd held her head up and started doing little push-ups at just six weeks, he'd wanted to throw a party. Danny was convinced that Lucy was nothing short of a baby prodigy.

"Ok, babe, but she's going to Catholic school where the nuns can keep an eye on her. I don't want her in any coed schools where every boy's gonna be havin' ideas. I was a boy once, I know how they think!"

"_Yeah, and you STILL think that way or we wouldn't have her!_"

"Of course. But that's different. That's me an' you." Danny had reached the evidence locker and paused outside. He didn't need the evidence clerk to hear his private conversation with his wife. "Linds, I gotta go. Evidence calls. I love you. Kiss Lucy for me and tell her Daddy loves her, too."

"_Wait a minute. I wanted to tell you that Ms. Wells, the woman from CFS called. She wants to bring Joshua over tomorrow at ten in the morning. Is that ok with you?_"

Joshua, Melinda's boy. The sweet banter with Lindsay made him forget for a moment. He wondered how much Nancy Wells knew about the situation. Mac was bound to contact CFS, if he suspected the boy was in danger. Danny was fairly sure that had already been done. He wouldn't be surprised if the appointment was cancelled, or at least moved to a secure location. Mac would wonder why Danny agreed to meet the boy, since he was denying paternity. Maybe he should talk to Lindsay about that. He might not be the boy's father, but that didn't mean he didn't want to make sure he stayed safe. He owed Melinda that much. Maybe he should go along with what was on the birth certificate. As his father, he could keep the boy safe. Who knew what would happen if Joshua wound up in foster care?

"Yeah, that's fine, Linds. I hope t'be home on time tonight, 'kay? I love you."

"_I love you, too, Danny. Lucy says 'gah!' Stay safe._"

"Always, babe."

Danny flipped the phone closed and returned it to his pocket. He pushed open the door so that he could collect his evidence and get started. It was going to be a long and hungry afternoon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes: First - apologies, apologies, apologies. I haven't posted in forever, I know. I have no excuse, I've just found things a bit overwhelming. And the longer I waited, the harder it was to get back on this horse.**

**I'm going to be diverging a bit, but I find I need to work the events of the season finale into this. I've also re-posted all the prior chapters to fix some continuity errors I had and to rework the baby's name. I've just decided I can't keep calling her Aidan when she's Lucy on the show. I know it's a little thing, but it's driving me nuts. **

**As much as I'd like to keep us all in a bubble, I'm not sure I could keep this going if I don't give some acknowledgment to what happened in the season 5 finale. So get out your hankies, this one's gonna be a bit rough. The finale also causes some timing issues with my story, because my Lindsay is not back to work yet, and clearly on screen she is. But let's just gloss over that for now, shall we?**

**SPOILER WARNING - I'm pretty spoiled for season 6. I will try to keep references to anything that has not actually appeared on-screen in the US out of my chapters, but no absolute guarantees. And once something is aired in the US, it's fair game in my book.**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 8 (completed 09/06/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: 3,854**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He was tired, beyond tired. Trudging up the stairs of the apartment building where he'd once lived the carefree life of a bachelor, Danny Messer reflected on the events of the day. There hadn't been any shootouts, no chasing of perps, and no difficult crime scenes with attics or basements to crawl through. The source of his exhaustion was emotional and mental, not physical.

He imagined how he'd be feeling if he didn't know that his wife and daughter were waiting for him; if he were coming home to an empty apartment after a day like this. He wondered how he ever thought that bachelorhood was so great. Not for anything would he go back to that life. The sure knowledge that Lindsay and Lucy would be there for him at the end of the day was sometimes the only thing that kept him sane. He smiled. Already some of the pain was sliding off his shoulders.

But the mind can be cruel sometimes. Just as we find a way to crawl out of a pit of care, it brings up something to push us down again. Danny's thoughts drifted to his friend, Don Flack. The tall, grinning, wise-cracking detective was gone and Danny wondered if he would ever return. The man walking around in Flack's body was nothing more than a ghost. He did everything that was expected of him. He was exemplary at his job, and he even agreed to go out one or two nights a month to hoist a few after work. But these days, Flack would nurse one bottle of beer all night and never actually drink more than a third of it. He would come and have dinner with the small Messer family and say and do all the right things, tickling and cuddling the baby, talking shop and making pleasant conversation. But there was no life left in him. It was as though he had died with Jess, and Danny couldn't help but think it would have been kinder if he had.

As he contrasted the changes in his life with Flack's, Danny marveled that the love of and for a woman had so changed his life for the better, while making Flack's life a hell on earth. Jess and Don hadn't tried to hide their relationship, but they were discrete, so not too many people in the lab or the precinct knew that they were more than casually involved. But one night, while a still pregnant Lindsay was visiting her family in Montana, Don had taken a forlorn Danny to their favorite watering hole to get his mind off his new wife's absence. After about the sixth round of beers, Don became understandably tired of hearing of the many and improbable virtues of the newly minted Mrs. Lindsay Messer. He decided a change of subject was needed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"_Danno, I need your advice on somethin'. You bein' a married man now, and all."_

"_Anything, Don. Y'know that. Ya need help, I'm here for ya." Danny hadn't been eating regularly and the beers were taking effect fast. He was still sober enough to realize just how drunk he was getting and that he'd have to leave the bike in the lab's garage and get a cab home tonight. And judging by Flack's drooping eyelids and slurring speech, he should probably drag him home with him and tuck him in on the couch. Flack wasn't stupid enough to try to drive home, but if he weren't redirected, he would probably show up on Jess' doorstep at some ridiculous hour of the morning, thinking he'd be welcomed with open arms. Danny had done that to Lindsay a time or two, and he didn't expect that Jessica Angell would react any better than Lindsay had. _

"_I think I've found my Lindsay, Danno." Flack waved a hand in the air, attracting the attention of the waitress to bring them another round. _

_Danny sat up straighter and looked wildly around the bar. "You found Lindsay? Where is she? Did she come back early?"_

"_No, Danny, no. I said I found * MY * Lindsay." Don took another long pull from his beer, tipping his head back to let the last of the cool liquid slide out of the bottle. Swallowing noisily, he brought his head back down and set the bottle on the table with a heavy thud. "It's Jess, Danny. I think she's the one. I know she is. She's special - so special. I need to figure out what to do about it. And no offense, Danny, but I don't think gettin' her knocked up is the best way to go about things."_

_Danny stared at his friend, a smile slowly spreading across his features. "No kiddin' Flack? You an' Jess, you that serious?" Danny reached across the table, smacking his friend's shoulder. His smile broadened. "Welcome to the club, big guy. You won' regret it. But you're right. Gettin' her pregnant is probably not the way to go. Lindsay didn't b'lieve me the first time I ask'd her t'marry me. She thought I was jus' askin' 'cause she was PREG-NANT." Danny put a load of emphasis on the last word, splitting the syllables almost as if it was two words. He was still awestruck at the thought that he would soon be a father. "I hadda trick 'er into goin' ta City Hall. Mac an' Stella helped. But she said yes and it worked out. And now she's in Montana. An' I miss her, Flack, I miss her somethin' awful…"_

_The two men waxed silent when the waitress brought their beers. She smiled flirtatiously, until she noticed the glinting band on Danny's left hand. She thought it was a bit strange. The other guy looked like he'd be the one with two-point-two kids and a two-car garage. The guy with the dirty blond hair and scruffy goatee had that bad-boy look she was so attracted to, but he was taken. Ah well, she could still enjoy looking. She hoped he'd feel the need soon to rid himself of all the beer he'd been drinking. She wondered what he looked like when he was walking the other way.  
_

_After she left, Flack quickly steered the conversation back to his dilemma. "D'ya think it's too soon, Danny? I mean, we've known each other a coupla years now, but it's only been a few months that we been seein' each other. I don't wanna scare her off, but I wanna know if I gotta chance, ya know? I'm scared shitless it's just me, Danny. I'm scared she ain't interested in the whole marriage and family thing."_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny was happy for his friend that night. He thought for a moment that there must have been something in the water cooler to suddenly turn the NYPD's two most confirmed bachelors into husband material. Considering the advanced state of his inebriation, the bittersweet memories of that night were amazingly clear. He'd agreed that Flack should probably avoid the whole pregnancy route. That could have so easily blown up in Danny's face, and very nearly did. Of course, Lindsay's announcement had served to make Danny realize what Flack apparently already knew. Danny had advised Don to imagine what life would be like without Jess in it. If he was unable to contemplate it, then she was indeed the one, and there was just one thing to do about it. It pained Danny to realize his words had been so prophetic.

Flack had spent the night on Danny's couch and the two had nursed hangovers together the next morning. The usually private detective had been a bit embarrassed at just how much he'd revealed to Danny, but had thanked him for helping push him in the direction of what he needed to do. He'd asked Danny to keep the conversation to himself and Danny had agreed that he wouldn't even tell Lindsay. Flack had left; saying now all he had to do was to pry his grandmother's ring out of his mother's clutches. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but nothing less than the family heirloom would be good enough for his Jess.

Danny reached the top of the stairs and quickened his steps as he walked down the long hall. The memories of that night had landed him in a melancholy mood and he needed his girls to bring him out of it. He turned the key in the lock and opened the door quietly, just in case either of them was sleeping.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was nearly ten o'clock and Lindsay was sitting on her hands, resisting the urge to pace the floor. Danny had called just before eight to let her know that he needed to hang around the lab for a couple hours more to finish processing some evidence before he could come home.

It wasn't that she was worried, at least not more than usual when Danny was working. But there was something about the tone in his voice, the mention of something with a case that had "freaked him out". Lindsay was too much of a scientist to believe in anything like woman's intuition. That didn't mean she didn't know her husband well enough to pick up on the clues that indicated that there was a lot more going on than Danny wanted to reveal - at least over the phone. The more time she spent waiting for him to come home and spill the beans, the more rotten she imagined those beans to be.

When she heard the key turn in the lock, she bolted off the sofa, too relieved to worry that she was acting like an over-anxious wife.

As he walked through the door, Danny was nearly bowled over by a small, brown-haired whirling dervish. Said dervish wrapped two arms around his waist and kissed him soundly before he even had a chance to drop his keys. Not that he was complaining. The kiss was quickly working to push all thought of Don Flack's troubles out of his mind. In point of fact, the kiss wasn't discriminating. It was pushing pretty much * all * thought out of his mind and down into his pants.

As the crazed being he now recognized as his wife released his lips and settled back on her feet, he regained his senses enough to check the door locks and settle his keys on the hall table. Wrapping his arms around Lindsay, he kissed her forehead, then her nose and finished with another, although somewhat less steamy, kiss on her lips.

"Wow, Montana! Somethin' get inta you while I was workin'? Whatta you got in mind?"

Suddenly embarrassed by her anxiety-fueled display of passion, Lindsay blushed as she took one of Danny's hands and led him into the living room. She needed him to explain what was bothering him, and if they were distracted by other activities, that might never happen.

"I, um…I'm just really curious about that case you mentioned. You said there was something bizarre that freaked you out. Considering some of the things we've seen, it must be something particularly weird and…well I guess I've been dying of curiosity here. And a little concerned. You sounded more than just freaked out over the phone, Danny."

Danny sighed. There was never any question that he would tell Lindsay the entire story, but for a minute he thought she might have given him an excuse to put it off one day. An excuse that would have involved much more pleasant pursuits. Still, it was important that she know before the CFS lady came the next morning, so it was probably for the best that they get the discussion out of the way tonight. But he was dog-tired and hungry.

"I promise, Linds, I'll tell you all about it. But I need a hot shower and I haven't had anything but chips to eat since this morning. Ya think ya can wait jus' a few minutes more?"

Lindsay thought her nerves would surely snap. But she managed a nod and a smile. "Go get in the shower. I made some stuffed manicotti with the sauce you made last week. I'll just heat some up for you."

"Sounds great, babe. I'll be right out."

Dropping another kiss on her head, Danny made his way back to the bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. Lindsay watched him a moment. She could see the tension across his shoulders; the tensing of muscles that rippled down his back and through his arms. She'd been right. Something was really bothering him. Resigned to wait a bit longer, she set about warming up some food for them both. Suddenly she had the feeling she would need strength for the upcoming discussion.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny let the hot water course over his skin. It helped, some. For the hundredth time that day, he wished that Mac had told him more details about Melinda's case. What was the connection with Tanglewood? And what made Mac so sure that the gang was back? With the main members all out of commission, just who were they dealing with? And most importantly, why were they after a little boy that they thought was Danny Messer's son? It wasn't going to be easy talking to Lindsay about all this when he had more questions than answers himself.

Danny tried not to think of the biggest fear he had. The one that had come foremost into his mind as soon as Mac mentioned Tanglewood. What about Lucy? What if they went after her? If they found out that Joshua wasn't really his, would they come after Lucy next?

Danny was beginning to think he should take Lindsay and Lucy and move to Montana. His own parents had made it clear that his choice of wife was not up to their standards. She was, to them, a foreigner. He had tried once more, after Lucy was born, to convince them to accept Lindsay and to be happy for him, hoping that their first grandchild would change their attitude. Upon hearing that he had a granddaughter, Danny's father had only ridiculed him more. "All the Messer women give birth to boys, to sons. Your mamma had two boys…her momma had three boys. The best you and this…_straniero_…can do is a girl. _Che non fa per voi_. If you don't know this now…"

Danny had been expecting difficulties with Lindsay's parents. They were farm folk, and he was the bad boy from the city who had knocked up their daughter and then married her on the spur of the moment at City Hall. To his immense relief (and Lindsay's immense amusement), her parents couldn't have been nicer. They'd flown out a week after Lucy was born. Danny wasn't surprised that they fell instantly in love with their granddaughter. But both Mr. and Mrs. Monroe treated Danny like he had been a part of the family for years. There was some culture shock, of course. Mrs. Monroe was completely stunned when, on their first evening in New York, Danny made a complete Italian dinner for them while Lindsay relaxed in the living room, sharing embarrassing stories with her mother. A few days later, when the toilet in the master bath suddenly turned into a geyser, Mr. Monroe had been surprised when Danny simply turned off the water and called the super, rather than fixing it himself. And when Lester Monroe offered to try his hand, Danny confessed the only tools he owned were a hammer and screwdriver.

It saddened him to realize that his daughter's only chance for an extended family was over two thousand miles away. Even if his parents relented, Danny wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forgive their initial reaction. And they had spread their poison to Danny's uncles, aunts and cousins. Maybe if Louie ever came back….but that was a false hope, and Danny knew it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dressed in an old pair of comfy gym pants and a fresh undershirt, Danny followed the smell of food back into the kitchen. He really was starving. He sensed that Lindsay was anxious to hear about his case. He wondered how much she might have guessed. The woman truly did have an eerie knack of knowing when something was wrong. But he was fairly certain even she could not have guessed what he was about to tell her.

As they ate, Danny started at the beginning, describing the apartment he was called to, including his surprise on hearing that a precinct chief lived in such opulence. When he came to the part where he found Melinda's photo, he paused. Sensing that the punch line was coming, Lindsay swallowed the bite of manicotti she was chewing and looked up.

"It was Melinda, Lindsay. The vic that was found dead in that apartment was Melinda Ponzio. The same woman who claims I'm the father of her son. Mac confirmed it. After that, of course, he hadda take me off the case."

Lindsay put her fork down and leaned back in her chair, looking closely at Danny. He finished the last bite of his dinner and took his plate to the sink. Lindsay nodded, and he took hers with him as well.

"Ok, Danny. I agree that it's a weird coincidence. But it happens sometimes, you know? Something tells me there's more to this story."

Danny finished loading the dishes in the sink and grabbed a beer and a water out of the fridge.

"Yea, there is Linds. C'mon, let's sit on the sofa and I'll tell you the rest."

Linds stood and took the water. Her instincts telling her that by the end of the evening, she'd be wishing it was beer, too.

A muffled whimper came over the baby monitor just at that moment. Danny set his beer down and turned towards the nursery, but Lindsay stopped him.

"It's ok, I'll get her. She's probably hungry, anyway. Go ahead and sit, I'll be right back."

Danny shook his head and gazed heavenward, grabbing his beer and making his way into the living room. As if this discussion wasn't going to be difficult enough, now he was going to have to suffer through it while dealing with the distraction of his nursing wife.

Lindsay came back, cradling a wriggling, rooting Lucy. Once she sat down comfortably on the couch, Lindsay opened her blouse enough that Lucy could find her target and latch on.

"Ow!"

Danny chuckled, "You ok, there, Montana?"

"I'm fine." Lindsay smiled as she cradled her daughter's head, making sure to support her as she suckled, "She's just got quite a grip with those gums!"

"I know, Montana, I know. Sometimes when she latches onto one of my fingers, I wonder what that must feel like on your…you know…"

"It's a breast, Danny. You can call it a breast."

"I know what it is, Montana. But I'm afraid after this mornin', if I think of that word too much, I might want a little after dinner snack myself. After Miss Lucy is done, of course," he grinned, reaching out a hand stroking his daughter's cheek. "And then we'll never get through with the rest of my story."

Lindsay laughed, and shifted a little to hold the weight of the baby more comfortably. Danny was glad the mood had lightened a bit. He knew they were dealing with some possibly serious dangers. But he didn't want Lindsay to worry overmuch. That was his job. And Mac's.

"So, what else happened, after you found out the vic was Melinda?"

Danny skipped over the case he was reassigned to, and told Lindsay about his questioning with Mac and Hawkes. Her reaction to the tale of his first experience with Melinda mirrored Hawkes'. Fortunately, Lucy was done nursing. Lindsay was doubled over laughing and handed the baby over to Danny so she wouldn't drop her. His cheeks flaming for a second time that day, Danny took the baby back to the nursery and tucked her into her crib.

"I don't know what they all think is so damn funny, Lucykins. It was a serious decision, and I think we were pretty responsible about it. When you consider most kids stumble blindly into that first time unprepared, what we did makes a whole lot more sense. Of course, if any guy ever wants to try a 'scientific experiment' with you, I'll remove his 'scientific' equipment for him!"

Danny patted his sleeping daughter's tummy, turned out the light and returned to the sofa, where Lindsay had regained her composure. He continued his story, going over the rest of Mac's questions. As he talked, he put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her towards him. Circling his other arm around her, he brought her close, needing to feel her safe and protected in his arms. He hesitated before he got to the last part.

"Lindsay, Mac couldn't tell me much about the case. You know that. * I * know that. But he did tell me…it's Tanglewood, Linds." He pulled her tighter, reached a hand up and tangled his fingers in her hair. "Mac thinks the Tanglewood Boys are back, and they want the boy for something. They want him because they think he's mine, Lindsay. They think he's Danny Messer's son. And they killed Melinda to get him."

"Oh. My. God." Lindsay bolted off the sofa and ran down the hall to the bathroom. Danny followed, hearing her retching behind the closed door.

"Lindsay?" his voice on the edge of panic. He wasn't sure what reaction he expected, but this wasn't it. "Lindsay? You ok? Lindsay!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_straniero_ = foreigner

_Che non fa per voi_ = She's not for you.

Sorry if this isn't very good Italian. It's straight from Google.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: With just 3 days, 8 hours to wait, I'm all excited for Season 6 to start. Writing is therapy. Reviews are better! **

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 9 (completed 09/15/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: 2,396**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny stood, one hand braced on the doorjamb, listening to the sounds of good manicotti going into the toilet. His mind flew back to a similar scene, one that had taken place in the locker room at the lab. He wasn't sure what was in Lindsay's stomach that time, but he vividly remembered what she'd told him when she was finished. He didn't think Lindsay ever really understood the emotions that went through him in that moment.

First, there was relief. He'd been so afraid that Lindsay was seriously ill. Hearing that she was merely pregnant had momentarily taken a great load off his mind. Next, he'd been terrified. Almost immediately though, the terror had been joined by an unexpected joy. That confusing mix of terror and happiness had dominated his life for the next seven months. It still was, if he was perfectly honest. He thought he was getting the hang of fatherhood and marriage, but he was still pretty terrified if he let himself stop and think about it long enough. He was also happier than he ever believed he deserved to be.

And here he was, standing outside a bathroom door once more while Lindsay threw up on the other side.

"Oh shit!" He muttered under his breath. Was she…again? The doctor had warned them that all the old wives tales that said a woman couldn't get pregnant while breast-feeding, along with some similar nonsense, were exactly that - old wives tales that were simply not true. They'd been warned to use precautions right from the start, and they did. But as Lindsay was so fond of pointing out lately, they'd used precautions before and wound up with Lucy. Nothing was one hundred percent.

"Lindsay? You ok in there?" Danny waited. The retching had stopped, and now there was an eerie silence coming from the other side of the door. "C'mon, Linds. What's goin' on?" He was about ready to bust in when the door opened, and Lindsay came back out. Pale, shaking and holding a washcloth that she used to wipe her face.

"I…I think I need to sit down." She looked up at him. He'd never seen a look quite like that in her eyes.

"Sure, sure, babe. C'mon, let's go into the bedroom, it's closer."

Danny fought the impulse to just pick her up and carry her. On more than one occasion he'd scooped her into his arms and taken her into the bedroom for what became a night of lovemaking, but aside from that, he knew she preferred to get from point A to point B under her own steam whenever possible. He gripped one hand tightly and wrapping his other arm around her waist, steered her through the door and sat her down on the bed.

"Is there anything I can get you? Do you want some water?"

Lindsay shook her head and simply indicated that he should take a seat beside her.

"Lucy."

Danny looked at her quizzically. "Lucy's fine. She's asleep in the nursery. Do you want me to go get her?"

Again Lindsay shook her head. Nervously, she began to fold the damp washcloth in her hands, then unfolded it and took one more swipe across her eyes and mouth.

"Lindsay, are you…?" Danny broke off as Lindsay began to speak.

"When I was little, I used to wander off into the woods beyond the fields. I'd just walk and walk all day and lose track of time. When I finally got back home, my dad and all my brothers had been out looking for me and my mother would tell me that she got sick with worry."

Lindsay looked again into Danny's eyes, and now he realized what the look was. She was haunted…haunted by…something.

"I never really understood what she meant by that until just now, Danny. What if they come after Lucy? What if they decide that, if they can't get to your son, they'll get your daughter? Or what if they find out he's not yours and they come after her? Danny, when I think of that, I just…"

"Shhhh, Lindsay. Shhhhshh." Danny held his wife, rocking her gently back and forth. He couldn't tell her not to worry, when his own greatest fears mirrored hers.

"Lindsay, hon, we're not gonna let anything happen to Luce, a'right? I mean c'mon, Mac's her godfather. Do you really think he's gonna let some punk gang get within a hundred miles of his favorite goddaughter?" Lindsay was still shaking, and Danny decided he needed a different tactic. He gripped Lindsay's shoulders and gently pushed her back, just enough that he could look directly into her eyes.

"Lindsay, I know what you're thinkin', and I know how you feel. 'Cause I've been thinking the exact same thing and believe me, it scares the shit outta me. And I'm not sure what we can do to protect her, I only know that we gotta do everything we can. And I also know that, to keep Lucy safe, we gotta be thinkin' straight. We can't be fallin' to pieces here, although believe, me that's exactly what I'd like to do."

He felt a hand snake behind his waist, and he watched as Lindsay took a deep breath. He could almost see the shattered pieces reassemble themselves in front of him. Her hand drifted up to finger through his hair. She raised her head and nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Right, Danny. You're right. I can't be tossing my cookies in the can when my daughter needs me. I think I would like that water now, though. Can you go get it? And maybe you can check the locks and turn out the lights while I check on Lucy. Then we can go to bed, ok?"

"Sure thing, babe. You sure you're ok?"

Lindsay nodded and Danny got up and went to lock things up for the night. Lindsay felt a bit unsteady, but her strength returned as she walked to the bathroom to hang the wet washcloth over the bath. Then she went into the nursery, where the nightlight provided just enough illumination to assure her that her baby was safe and sound and sleeping peacefully. She was tempted to ask Danny to set up the portable crib in their bedroom, but realized Lucy was as safe in the nursery as any other room. She was just about to go back into their bedroom when she felt Danny gently lay a kiss on her shoulder.

"You feelin' better now, sweetheart?" He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her back against his chest. When he tucked his chin down onto her shoulder, she turned to give him a light kiss.

"I think so. I just never knew I could be that terrified."

Danny began to sway back and forth, holding her firmly as he did. "I guess that's part of bein' a mom, huh," he whispered, "I guess it takes some getting used to."

Lindsay turned in his arms and pulled a few inches away so that she could look into his eyes. "I don't want to get used to that part, Danny. I don't ever want to feel that frightened again. I want those boys found, and I want them put away and I want all the keys destroyed. I can't have my daughter's safety threatened by a bunch of thugs who have some idiotic grudge against you. I won't have it!"

Lindsay walked out of the nursery and back into the bedroom. Danny followed and found her sitting on the side of the bed, holding the phone to her ear.

"Who you callin'?"

"I'm calling Mac. He says he can't tell you about this case? Well, he'll damn sure give **ME** Every..Last..Detail!"

Danny was starting to feel a headache coming on. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat down on the edge of the bed. There was no sense in arguing with her. The one person he knew that had more will than his wife was Mac Taylor. Mac would tell Lindsay exactly what he'd told Danny and not one bit more. Only eventually, Mac would hang up the phone and Danny would be left to deal with Montana's temper.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny was right. Mac didn't tell Lindsay anymore than he'd told Danny earlier.

Lindsay spent about 40 minutes on the phone grilling, cajoling, needling and finally screaming. Through it all, Danny could hear bits of Mac's end of the conversation and was amazed that the man never once lost his temper. If it was Danny talking to him that way, he'd probably have gotten his ear blistered right through the phone. To say nothing of the dirt assignments he'd get for the next twenty years. Mac must have a soft spot for mothers, was all he could figure. And he always suspected Mac had a soft spot for Lindsay, anyway.

Mac told Lindsay the part that Danny didn't have a chance to. That a twenty-four hour patrol was watching their apartment, and a plain-clothes officer would be available to go with them anytime Lindsay and Lucy needed to leave the house for anything. Lindsay was still scheduled to begin a regular shift of light duty at the lab next week, but she would bring Lucy with her.

Danny was a little shocked when Mac mentioned Lindsay's return to work. At first he was angry that she hadn't discussed it with him, but then he decided she and Lucy would be a whole lot safer at the lab. He'd just have to keep an eye on that Blake character. For a single guy, he paid entirely too much attention to a three-month old baby girl for Danny's comfort.

Mac didn't give Lindsay any information on who they suspected might be running the Tanglewood Boys, who the members were, or how they came to be suspects in the case. Nor would he say anything about how they came to their conclusions about the motive for Melinda's murder.

Once Mac convinced Lindsay that he'd told her all he was able to, he asked to speak to Danny. He informed Danny that he contacted Child and Family Services regarding Joshua. Danny spoke to Mac shortly after Lindsay's afternoon call, to let him know about the arranged meeting. Just as Danny surmised, Mac was curious why Danny wanted to meet the boy, when he was so adamantly denying his paternity. Danny told him the truth. Melinda was a close friend through high school and Danny was curious to find out why she would list him as the father. Danny also told Mac that, with everything he knew now, it was even more important to him to discover exactly what was going on. Lastly, while he knew it wasn't his fault that Tanglewood had gone after Melinda to get 'his' son, he still felt enough guilt to feel obligated to do whatever he could to make sure that Melinda's son was well provided for.

Mac arranged to move the meeting to a safe house. Flack and a couple of officers would stop by in the morning to pick them up and take them, in a closed van, to the location where CFS would bring the boy. Mac assured Danny that they'd be allowed as much privacy for their meeting as was possible, under the circumstances.

By the time Danny hung up the phone, it was after midnight. He was tired before. Now he was exhausted. Lindsay had changed into a fresh t-shirt, having soiled the other one earlier. Danny gave her the information on the change in meeting arrangements while they turned down the covers and crawled into bed.

He was about to drift off to sleep. Lindsay was curled up next to him, her head pillowed on his chest, his arm wrapped around her, holding her as closely as he could.

"Danny?"

"Hmmm?"

"I meant what I said, Danny. I want those boys found and I want Tanglewood out of our lives forever. I don't care what it takes."

Danny turned slightly. It was dark in the room, but he could still make out the glint of Lindsay's eyes.

"I know you do, Linds. We'll get 'em - I swear we will."

"No, Danny, I don't think you understand." She hesitated. Danny wondered what it was that she thought he didn't understand.

"I said something, in the hospital, Danny, right after Lucy was born. I didn't really mean it, though."

He could see her lashes flutter, and thought he saw the light reflecting off a tear that was rolling across her nose. Reaching for it with his finger, he felt the moisture and leaned in to kiss it away.

"What are you talking about, sweetheart?"

"Danny, I do want us to have more children someday. I want to give you a son - I know how important that is to you. And don't try to deny it. I know you couldn't possibly love Lucy anymore than you do, but I also heard about how you terrorized the lab trying to pick out boy's names. If we don't take too long about it, I wouldn't mind having one or two more than that. I'm not sure how you feel about it, and we can talk about it, of course, but there were four kids in my family and it seemed like a really good number, you know?"

Danny was stroking her cheek gently as she told him this. He'd planned on one day talking to her about the hospital bed declaration she had made. She swore that Lucy would be an only child, and Danny hoped that she didn't really mean it. He was overjoyed to hear that she now wanted more children. And he thought four was a pretty good number, too. He was about to tell her that when she twined her fingers in his hand and continued.

"But Danny, I'm not having any more children if I have to worry every moment that some gang of hoodlums will take them away from me. I can't live with that, Danny, I'm sorry."

Danny sighed. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently and sweetly on the lips. "We'll get them Lindsay, I promise. We'll get them." He only hoped he would be able to keep that promise without breaking the law himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: I'm still a little woozy from all the squeeing I did on Wednesday. Totally awesome episode and a slam-dunk start for the season. My little world still doesn't mention the shooting, although I'm not saying it didn't happen. **

**Extra Special Thanks to afrozenheart412 and laurzz. Reading your reviews is like an awesome dessert after a really great meal. Satisfying, sweet and just a little addictive. You keep me going.**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 10 (completed 09/25/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: 2,734**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny walked sleepily out of the bedroom. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he glanced into the nursery. He wasn't surprised to find it empty. Lindsay usually fed the baby as soon as she woke up, then put her in the play gym in the kitchen while she fixed breakfast for the adults. The smell of coffee told him the morning routine was right on track. Not that he expected this morning to be routine.

Making his way into the kitchen, he found Lindsay emptying the dishwasher from the night before. Giving her a quick one-armed hug, he kissed her temple.

"Mornin' Beautiful. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log, apparently. I didn't even get up for Lucy last night. Did you feed her?"

Confused, Danny thought for a minute. Could he have woken up and fed Lucy and simply not remember it? He didn't think so.

"No, I didn't wake up. You didn't wake up either?"

Lindsay stopped stacking plates. "No. I didn't hear her at all. I figured you must have woken up before she started crying."

"No." Danny glanced over at the play gym where Lucy was happily kicking at the zoo animal mobile that was Flack's baby gift to them. At the time, Flack joked that it was in homage to her parents' first "date". That was when Flack still knew how to make a joke.

When Danny began to pace around the small kitchen, Lindsay imagined he was tackling this little mystery the same way he worked on a problem with a case - in motion. Danny rarely seemed able to stay still for long. Although he could sit still and quiet for hours if Lucy was sleeping in his arms. It was one of the great contradictions that she never ceased to marvel at in Danny, the father.

She watched him, imagining that she could almost see the gears turning as he tried to solve the silly puzzle of Lucy's nightly feeding. She was still amazed, sometimes, at how terrific a father he was. For that matter, how terrific a husband he was. A lot of men would have insisted she was overreacting - on several counts - last night. Danny not only didn't try to make light of her fears, he admitted to sharing them. Later, when she confessed her resolve to have no more children while the threat of Tanglewood hung over them, again, he didn't try to reason with her or talk her out of it. He simply reassured her, promising to resolve the threat, by whatever means necessary.

A year ago, she'd never have believed it. Now, she found she depended on it.

Suddenly, she realized that Danny asked her a question while she was contemplating his wonderfulness. She chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry, Danny. You were saying?"

"You still sleepin' Montana? I asked if you knew how many bottles of breast milk were in the fridge last night. If one's missin', then maybe I fed Lucy in my sleep last night, and just don't remember wakin' up."

Lindsay walked to the fridge and opened it. She counted aloud, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. There were eight bottles last night and there are eight bottles now. If you woke up and don't remember, you also didn't feed her. That is, unless you've suddenly developed capabilities beyond the typical adult human male."

"Wiseass!" Danny stopped pacing and picked Lucy up out of the play gym. "Whaddya say, baby girl? Did nobody feed you last night? You okay, Lucykins?"

"You know, Danny, it's just possible she simply slept through the night. It's not unheard of for a baby her age to do that once in awhile, although it's too soon to think we can get used to it. She was pretty hungry this morning, but she didn't seem upset and she hasn't been fussy at all. So I wouldn't worry about it. Call it a blessing. After last night, we both needed a good night's sleep and for once, our prayers were answered."

"Yea, yea. I guess. I guess Mommy knows best, huh, Lucy." Danny set the baby back down in the gym and went to finish emptying the dishwasher. "Linds, why don't you sit down and eat your breakfast. I'll finish here and then I'm gonna take a shower and get dressed. I can give Lucy a bath and get her dressed while you shower, okay? Flack's supposed to be here in about 45 minutes, so we don't got much time."

"Sounds like a plan, Dan the Man."

"Ouch! Do me a favor Linds? Do not ever utter that phrase again!"

Lindsay grabbed a plate of buttered toast and bacon and swatted Danny on the behind as she made her way to the living room for a few minutes of quality time with the morning news.

"I'll be sure to remember how much it bothers you, Danny," she called wickedly as she plopped down on the sofa and munched her breakfast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Danny finished putting the remaining dishes away then took a quick shower. Thinking it wouldn't hurt to make a good impression on Child and Family Services, he selected a nice pair of slacks, a tailored shirt and sport jacket.

These days he rarely wore nice clothes. Work was usually jeans. He wore his good clothes occasionally, when he and Lindsay took Lucy to church. After Lucy's baptism, they started going to church every few weeks or so, when their bizarre work schedules allowed it. Neither had been much for religion before Lucy came along. A Sunday morning off was a time to sleep in and be lazy. But sleeping in was a thing of the past with a newborn. And they both agreed that having some kind of religious foundation was probably a good idea for a child. For right now, they attended mass at the Catholic Church a few blocks away. They were both familiar and comfortable with it, but they agreed that, if religion was going to play a role in the raising of their children, they would need to investigate others to settle on one that best represented the moral values they wanted to instill. Although Danny was leaning to sticking with the Catholic church, if only because it meant they could send Lucy to a nice, girls only convent school.

Danny debated on a tie, but decided against it. It **was** his day off, after all. One could take this first impression thing too far. Taking one last look in the mirror, he went out to let Lindsay know it was her turn.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Standing swathed in an enormous apron, Danny held his daughter securely with one arm while he gently washed her with the other. His brilliant morning schedule failed to account for the fact that bathing Lucy generally involved the bather getting wet. Thus, it was usually better to finish the baby bath before getting dressed oneself. After one episode that required him to completely re-dress himself before going to work, Danny managed to swipe one of the new aprons Sid ordered for Autopsy. He had to promise Lindsay that it had never actually been used. It did the job quite well, at least for now. Lucy was still barely able to slap at the water and kick her feet a bit. Danny had plans to procure a couple of CSI coveralls so that when she became more active in the bath, mommy and daddy could be truly protected from head to toe.

He was just wrapping her in a thick, warm towel when there was a knock on the door. Bringing one corner of the towel up to cover her head, he rested her against his shoulder and went to answer the knock.

"Yea, who is it?" he yelled.

"Hey, Danno. It's me, Flack. Lemme in."

Danny quickly undid the locks and opened the door. "C'mon in, Flack. You're kinda early. You want some coffee or something? Lindsay's still gettin' dressed."

Flack walked in the door, took one look at Danny in his OCME apron, the swaddled baby in his arms and began to laugh. He started to say something, choked and started laughing again. The more he tried to stop, the harder he laughed.

"C'mon, Flack, it ain't **that** funny!"

Bent over, Flack wheezed and tried to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, Danny. I can't decide if I should ask you if Sid knows you stole one of his aprons, or if Linds knows what you're using to bathe her daughter!"

Danny closed and locked the door, then watched as Flack went into the kitchen and helped himself to coffee, chuckling the entire way.

"Well, I'm glad this is such a source of amusement for you, wiseguy!" Actually, he was. It had been a long time since Flack laughed like that. Danny was happy to see it. He wasn't foolish enough to think that one good laugh meant the man was back to his old self. But at least it meant there was hope. The old Flack was still there, and with time, maybe he would learn to live again.

Danny quickly went back to the nursery to get Lucy dressed and ready. When he returned, Flack was relaxing in the living room, watching the news and sipping coffee. But there was a tense set to his back that belied his casual posture. Danny put Lucy in her play gym and joined him.

"So, Flack. How come you're here so early? We got almost 30 minutes before we gotta leave."

Flack sat up straight and set his coffee on the table. Reaching for the remote, he turned off the tv. All trace of his earlier amusement was gone.

"Mac told me a little something about this, Danny, but I wanted to find out from you. What's this all about? You get some girl pregnant, she dies, and now you're going to meet a son you didn't know about? And the Tanglewood Boys are mixed up in it somehow? I swear, Danny, I find out you cheated on Lindsay again, you won't need to worry about Tanglewood!"

"Wait a sec, wait a sec, Flack. Don't go jumpin' to conclusions. Melinda is a girl I knew in **high school**, Flack. She was murdered a few days ago. Her son is three years old. His birth certificate says I'm his father, but I'm not. And I have no idea why she would say I was. The Tanglewood Boys have regrouped and somehow they know about this kid, and Mac thinks they killed Melinda to get to him. Because they think he's my kid."

Flack leaned back in his chair again. If the kid was three, he was conceived before Messer and Monroe were really an item. At least his friend hadn't been cheating. "What makes you so sure he's not your kid, Messer? I mean let's face it. You and me both know you got around pretty good back in the day. It coulda happened before."

Danny sighed. He really was getting tired of going over this time and again. "I'm not saying it's not possible that I might have another kid out there somewhere, Flack. I'm just saying this one's not mine. He can't be."

"Again, I ask you Danny, how can you be so sure? You remember every last woman you were ever with? You said you were friends with this woman in high school. Maybe she changed and you didn't recognize her."

"Dammit, Flack! It didn't happen and he's not mine!" Danny ran a hand through his hair, he was going to have to tell Flack the whole story. He just hoped his friend believed him. "You remember a little bit after Lindsay came to the lab, I told you she invited me for drinks at a jazz club, and it turns out Mac was playing there?"

Flack nodded, "Yeah, I remember."

"Ok. So that was February first, 2006. Trust me, I remember that date." Danny leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands emphasizing every word. "Melinda's kid was born in late December. He was conceived no earlier than March."

Flack nodded, that much math he could do.

"So, after our first 'date', Montana was all I could think about. You remember I drove you crazy talkin' about her all the time. You even told me once I should just jump her and get her outta my system. What you didn't know…what even I didn't really know…is that I couldn't get her outta my system. I went out with other women, but it never got past that, not after February first. I'd meet a woman for drinks or dinner, and then I went home - alone." Danny looked at his friend, willing him to get the message before Danny had to come right out and say it. But there was no glimmer of understanding in the other man's face. "Flack, with the exception of Rikki Sandoval, the last time I slept with a woman - other than Lindsay - was January 2006. **That's** why Melinda's kid cannot be my son."

Flack cocked his head. He knew Danny Messer well enough to know when the man was bullshitting, and he didn't think he was. But then he started to do some more math. He remembered vividly visiting his friend in the hospital after his run-in with the Irish Mob. He'd been high as a kite on painkillers and couldn't stop talking. Fortunately, Flack was his only visitor because Danny's favorite subject was embarrassingly detailed, but sickenly sweet accounts of finally making love the night before with Lindsay "Montana" Monroe. It was then that Flack realized that the erstwhile womanizer, Danny Messer, had finally been well and truly ensnared by love. Not once in his account did Danny ever use any slang terms for what happened on his pool table other than "making love", a term Flack had never heard him use before. That was the last time Messer said anything on the subject. No matter how much Don teased him, or how drunk he got, Danny wouldn't say anything about his activities with Lindsay, beyond to say they'd gone to dinner, or out for drinks. Locker room talk between the two became extremely one-sided until Flack started dating Jessica Angell and clammed up himself.

Flack's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. The Irish Mob thing happened over a year after Danny and Lindsay's jazz night at Cozy's. That would mean that Danny Messer - THE Danny Messer - went sixteen months celebate, waiting for Lindsay Monroe.

"I…don't…I…can't…Messer?" Flack squinted at the man sitting across from him, wondering if maybe this was some duplicate Danny Messer sent to mess with his mind. "You mean to tell me you went sixteen **months**? Sixteen MONTHS? Without?" Flack shook his head. "Messer, you gotta admit buddy, that's a little hard to swallow."

"It's the truth, Flack. I swear on my grandmother. It's the truth. And it's the reason why I **know**, beyond a doubt, that I am not that boy's father."

"Okay." Flack stood up, his interrogation techniques kicking in unconsciously. "So riddle me this, then. If you're so sure the boy's not yours, then why do you even care? Why arrange this meeting? You can wash your hands of him and the good folks at CFS will see that he's put into foster care. He'll be ok. Why go through all of this?"

Danny looked up. Flack could see the pain and raw fear in his eyes. "Because the Tanglewood Boys aren't after him, Flack. They're after ME. They're after MY family. I can't afford to lose the leads that boy might provide as to who they are and why they're back. I need him so that I can keep Lucy safe, Flack. So that I can keep my family safe."

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	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes: This story is not just angst and fluff! It includes a case and it's about time (after ten chapters), that I get to work on it! So…**

**Meanwhile, back at the lab…**

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**Full headers and disclaimer in Chapter 1**

**Title: A Father's Heart, Chapter 11 (completed 10/03/2009)**

**Chapter Rating: T **

**Word Count: 2,189**

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Mac tried his best to stiffle the yawn that threatened to escape his control. After his conversation with Lindsay the night before, he was unable to get to sleep. He wasn't able to calm the young mother's fears, nor could he give her the information that would have at least allowed her some sense of empowerment. He understood Lindsay's frustration. Because he understood, and because of the special place she and Danny held in his heart, he allowed her a degree of latitude that he would never grant anyone else. .

Mac realized some time ago that he looked on Danny as the son he so wished he'd had with Clare. Now past fifty, he hadn't found another woman to permanently grace his life. He realized he wasn't likely to ever father children of his own.

When he offered a job to a bright, gifted young CSI from Montana, he didn't know what he was setting in motion. He was normally not a fan of workplace romances. Certainly his own had not worked out well, and had caused him some degree of discomfort and turmoil. Still, when he realized what was happening between the young man he looked on as a son and the lovely young woman he was fast seeing as a daughter, he could not have been more pleased. Although, if the course of true love never did run smooth, he wished it didn't have to be quite as rocky as it was for Danny and Lindsay.

Initially, he had some concerns. Danny made no effort to hide his womanizing ways. Indeed, he frequently boasted of the number of women he'd been with. Mac wouldn't be surprised to find notches carved into Danny's desk for the number of lab techs, clerks, accountants, rookie cops and even one young coroner that he counted among his conquests. And those were only the women at work. When he saw the first signs of their budding attraction, he was concerned that Lindsay would just be another notch on Danny's bedpost. She could so easily be hurt, and then he might lose her from his team, and his life.

But Mac noticed a subtle change in Danny not long after Lindsay came on board. When he saw the two sharing a table in the audience one evening at Cozy's, he wasn't just surprised that they were there. Sitting with them for a few minutes during a break, Lindsay was quick to explain she had just found out that Mac played and thought Danny would be interested. But Mac saw the way Danny looked at Lindsay, and was astonished to realize that his prediction from several months before, made only to tease the young man, had come true.

Love had happened to Danny Messer.

A sharp ding announced his arrival at the thirty-fifth floor. Mac stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened, taking a large swallow of the hot coffee he was holding. He needed to refocus on the job and get his mind out of its unexpected sentimental turn. Seeing his newest CSI stepping out of the trace lab, he called to him.

"Adam! My office!"

It was hard to keep a straight face as he watched the perpetually flustered young man jump. Nearly as amusing was the way Adam's face so clearly displayed his thoughts. Mac realized he would be wasting a few minutes assuring Adam that there was no problem with his job performance, and that he was not about to be fired, before he would get the chance to get a report on the evidence gathered in the Melinda Ponzio case. Adam had been noticibly jumpier since the shooting just after Jess' death. Mac supposed it was due to the shock of all that had happened. Still, he had a sense that Adam's nervousness was particularly severe in his own presence, and he couldn't fathom quite why. Sighing, he reminded himself for the umpteenth time that he was neither a mind-reader nor a shrink. He did his best to understand the various personalities of his team, but some things were simply beyond his comprehension and probably always would be.

Adam sprinted across the hall to join his boss and arrived at the door of Mac's office just as Mac was keying the combination to unlock it. As they stepped inside, Mac held up a hand to forestall Adam.

"Adam, everything's fine, I've got no problems with your work, I just got in and I need an update on the Melinda Ponzio case. Did you start going through her personal effects? And did you find anything on the money that was found?"

Mac sat down at his desk while Adam visibly switched gears.

"Ah, yea boss. Didn't find anything substantive in the evidence we collected at the vic's apartment. Nothing to suggest anything other than an accidental death. In fact, it's funny just how much of nothing there was. I mean…you were there…that place was sterile."

Mac nodded, he'd been surprised as well at the conspicuous lack of personal items and the lived-in look that was present in most private homes.

Adam must have realized that his hands had been gesticulating wildly, because he suddenly shoved them in his pockets, looking sideways at the boss as he continued.

"The money was just money. Small bills, just a whole lot of 'em. No sequential numbers, no bank alerts, no trace beyond the usual. Did you know that, on average ninety to ninety-five percent of all paper money in the US is contaminated with traces of cocaine?"

Mac nodded, "Yes, Adam, so please don't let me find you sniffing your wallet. What about the vic's personal effects?"

Adam snorted, "Oh..uh..sniffing my wallet. Right, good one boss. No, no, I wouldn't do that."

Mac was drumming his fingers on his desk. "Adam?"

"Oh, yeah - Sid finally got the body last night and I got her clothes first thing this morning. They're like…a…garden of bodily fluids. I got saliva, blood, nasal mucus, semen - even some urine - from spots all over her clothes. I sent it all over to DNA; that should be back this afternoon sometime. Well, except for the urine. I sent that to Tox."

Mac nodded and took another sip of his coffee. "Sounds like you hit the jackpot on this one, Adam. With all that to work with, you should be able to get something."

Adam was pacing in front of Mac's desk, his hands restless and his body tense. "I hope so, boss, I hope so. Only there's one really weird thing. All the samples - were on the **inside** of her clothes - not the outside. I can understand the urine, that might be hers because, you know, when a body dies…well…you know what happens. And it's not that surprising to find semen on the inside, if she got dressed after…whatever. But that doesn't explain the rest of it. And even if the urine is hers, it usually stays in one place and this was just all over. So I'm thinking, the killers were sending a message, you know, disrespecting her like that after they killed her. That is, if all that stuff is from the killers, and I can't think how it couldn't be, but then how does it get on the **inside** of the clothes, unless she's wearing her clothes inside out? And why would she be doing that? It just doesn't make sense, Mac."

Mac shook his head. What really amazed him was that he was able to follow all that. He supposed that with practice, he'd gotten used to Adam's speed-talking. "Adam, ADAM! Breathe! And sit down, you're exhausting me."

Mac was about to take another sip of the coffee only to find there was none left in his cup. Sighing, he put the cup down. He would need to get another, and probably two more, before he felt normal this morning. He would have to go talk to Sid as soon as he finished with Adam and he could run out to grab another cup on his way back from Autopsy.

Adam was now sitting on the edge of the sofa, but his fidgeting was still working Mac's last nerve. Mac had never noticed if Adam drank coffee, but the man acted like he mainlined the stuff.

"What about the chain of evidence? Is there anything to suggest the clothing might have been contaminated? Was the body still dressed when it came over from Brooklyn?"

Adam finally appeared to relax, if only a little. He leaned back on the sofa, but his hands were gripping the edge of the cushions.

"The clothing was removed at the Brooklyn morgue, bagged and tagged. Everything was sealed and didn't appear to be tampered with. I double-checked all the seals and paperwork. All the sign-in and sign-out signatures were there. Chain of evidence looks clear, Mac. What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, Adam, nothing. I just want to be sure we aren't chasing our tails on this. I'm sure Brooklyn handled everything according to protocols." Mac stood and walked around the desk. "Just the same, contact the ME over in Brooklyn. Trace the chain of custody from there until the body arrived here. And let me know when you get the DNA and Tox back."

Adam stood and preceded Mac out the door. When he suddenly stopped and turned, Mac nearly ran into him. He stepped back a bit, suddenly thankful that his empty coffee cup was sitting on his desk.

"Oh…sorry Mac…I almost forgot. I found hairs that could be from at least three donors, too. They look to be human. Some had tissue attached, like they'd been yanked out. DNA's got those, too."

Mac gestured for Adam to continue through the door.

"Good Adam. It sounds like we'll have plenty of evidence to identify Melinda's attackers. I only hope they're in the system. If they are, we've got 'em."

Adam grinned, made a short victory gesture, pumping one fist and fairly skipped out the door. With a last half-wave to Mac, he dashed back to the Trace Lab.

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Mac made his way down to Autopsy. Not surprisingly, he found Sid peering into the cavity of a body on his table. Not wanting to startle the ME, he walked around the table so that the two men would be facing each other.

"Good Morning, Sid. This looks to be Melinda Ponzio."

Sid looked up from his work, and quickly removed his glasses.

"Oh, hi Mac. Yes, this is the lady in question. I understand she has some personal connection to our young Mr. Messer?"

"Yes, Sid. She's…a childhood friend of Danny's. So naturally he's off the case. I also have concerns that whoever killed her may have done so because of the connection she has with him. I need to get this one solved and the murderer put away quick, Sid."

Sid nodded his head. He didn't need to know all the details, although he suspected there was a lot more to Danny's connection with this poor young woman than just a long ago childhood friendship.

"Hmmm. Well, Mac. I can tell you that she was not sexually assaulted, although I did find semen stains scattered across her torso and down her legs. I also found traces of a number of other bodily fluids - blood - not apparently her own - saliva, urine and mucus. The blood may have come from scratches she inflicted on her attacker. There was considerable tissue under her fingernails."

Sid held up one of Melinda's hands, showing her long, manicured nails. There were ragged tears in two of the nails. The others had obviously been well-manicured.

Mac inspected the hand. "That's all consistent with what Adam found on the victim's clothing. Adam said the clothing had already been bagged. Can you tell me if Brooklyn started any autopsy work, Sid?"

Sid gently lowered the hand he'd been holding, patting it gently as he laid it back on the table.

"It doesn't look like it. As I said, I found a good bit of trace evidence still on the body. She hadn't been washed and there was certainly no internal exam done. I don't think they even did a rape kit, although based on their initial conclusions, there really wasn't any reason for one."

Sid walked around to the head of the table. "And this is where you ask me for Cause of Death."

Mac smiled and nodded. "Ok Sid - what's your COD?"

Sid gripped the raised edge of the autopsy table. "Well, I can tell you it wasn't electrocution. There are distinctive burn marks on her palms, but they appear to be post-mortem. No, our young Ms. Ponzio had her neck snapped - cleanly and quite professionally."

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End file.
